Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae

There are about 4,000 species of small, delicate butterflies in this family. Most species are are brightly colored in blue, violet, or copper and have a metallic sheen. Some species have tiny tail-like extensions on their hindwings.

The males in this family have short forelegs and no claws. The females have normal forelegs. The caterpillars of the species in this family look more like slugs than caterpillars.

Many of the species of this family have a special relationship with ants. Ants rub the larvae of some species with their antennae. This causes the larvae to secrete a sugary fluid that the ants eat. This secretion also protects the larvae from parasites.