Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site

Lycaenidae

The Gossamer-wings are a very diverse and complex family with at least 4750 species worldwide. In California, they can be grouped into the coppers (subfamily Lycaeninae), the blues (subfamily Polyommatinae), and the hairstreaks (subfamily Theclinae). Many species have mutualistic relationships with ants (myrmecophily) where the caterpillar excretes complex carbohydrates through specialized glands for the ants (similar to aphids). In return, the ants defend the caterpillar from predators and parasitoids. While this relationship is usually facultative, the mutualism turns into trickery in some Lycaenid species and the butterfly caterpillars switch from being herbivores to become obligate predators on ant larvae inside the ant mound. As long as the caterpillar continues to produces sugary rewards for the ants, the ants are willing to accept, or are oblivious to, the carnage around them. Other Lycaenid caterpillars are predators on aphids being tended by ants.

	Agriades podarce Gray Blue
	Atlides halesus Great Purple Hairstreak
	Brephidium exile (Western) Pygmy Blue
	Callophrys dumetorum Bramble Hairstreak
	Callophrys sheridanii lemberti Lembert's Green Hairstreak
	Celastrina ladon echo Spring Azure, Echo Blue
	Euphilotes battoides Square-Spotted Blue
	Euphilotes enoptes Dotted Blue
	Everes amyntula Western Tailed Blue
	Everes comyntas Eastern Tailed Blue
	Glaucopsyche lygdamus Silvery Blue
	Glaucopsyche piasus Arrowhead Blue
	Habrodais grunus Golden Hairstreak, Golden Oak Hairstreak
	Hemiargus isola Reakirt's Blue
	Incisalia augustinus iroides Western Brown Elfin
	Incisalia eryphon Western Pine Elfin
	Incisalia mossii Moss' Elfin
	Leptotes marina Marine Blue
	Lycaeides idas anna Anna Blue
	Lycaeides melissa melissa "Agricultural" Melissa Blue
	Lycaena arota arota Tailed Copper
	Lycaena arota virginiensis Desert Tailed Copper
	Lycaena cupreus Lustrous Copper
	Lycaena editha Edith's Copper
	Lycaena gorgon Gorgon Copper
	Lycaena helloides Purplish Copper
	Lycaena heteronea Blue Copper, "Varied Blue"
	Lycaena mariposa Mariposa Copper
	Lycaena nivalis Snowy Copper, Lilac-Bordered Copper
	Lycaena rubidus Ruddy Copper
	Lycaena xanthoides Great Copper
	Mitoura gryneus chalcosiva Juniper Hairstreak
	Mitoura gryneus nelsoni Nelson's Hairstreak
	Mitoura johnsoni Johnson's Hairstreak
	Mitoura spinetorum Thicket Hairstreak
	Philotes sonorensis Sonoran Blue
	Plebejus acmon Acmon Blue
	Plebejus icarioides Icarioides Blue, Boisduval's Blue
	Plebejus lupini Lupine Blue
	Plebejus saepiolus Greenish Blue
	Plebejus shasta Shasta Blue
	Satyrium auretorum Gold-Hunter's Hairstreak
	Satyrium behrii Behr's Hairstreak
	Satyrium californica California Hairstreak
	Satyrium fuliginosum fuliginosum Sooty Gossamer-Wing
	Satyrium fuliginosum semiluna Sooty Gossamer-Wing
	Satyrium saepium Sepia Hairstreak
	Satyrium sylvinus Willow Hairstreak
	Satyrium tetra Mountain-Mahogany Hairstreak
	Strymon melinus Gray Hairstreak, Common Hairstreak