Home | Wild Files | N.H. Animals | Animals A-Z | Watch Online

Lycaenidae - 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.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species		Species Found in the U.S.
Acadian Hairstreak - Satyrium acadica American Copper - Lycaena phlaeas Banded Hairstreak - Satyrium calanus Bog Copper - Lycaena epixanthe Bog Elfin - Callophrys lanoraieensis Bronze Copper - Lycaena hyllus Brown Elfin - Callophrys augustinus Coral Hairstreak - Satyrium titus Early Hairstreak - Erora laeta Eastern Pine Elfin - Callophrys niphon Eastern Tailed-Blue - Cupido comyntas Edwards' Hairstreak - Satyrium edwardsii Frosted Elfin - Callophrys irus Gray Hairstreak - Strymon melinus Greenish Blue - Plebejus saepiolus Henry's Elfin - Callophrys henrici Hessel's Hairstreak - Callophrys hesseli Hoary Elfin - Callophrys polios Juniper Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus Karner Blue Butterfly-Plebejus samuelis Melissa Blue - Lycaeides melissa Silvery Blue - Glaucopsyche lygdamus Spring Azure - Celastrina ladon Striped Hairstreak - Satyrium liparops Summer Azure - Celastrina neglecta Western Pine Elfin - Callophrys eryphron		Intermediate Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes intermedia Mojave Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes mojave Pallid Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes pallescens Rita Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes rita Spalding's Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes spaldingi Stanfords' Blue - Euphilotes stanfordorum Palos Verdes Blue - Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis Arrowhead Blue - Glaucopsyche piasus Golden Hairstreak - Habrodais grunus Ceraunus Blue - Hemiargus ceraunus Colorado Hairstreak - Hypaurotis crysalus Sonoran Hairstreak - Hypostrymon critola Fender's Blue -Icaricia icarioides fenderi Sky-blue Groundstreak - Kisutam sillus Cassius Blue - Leptotes cassius Marine Blue - Leptotes marina Lotis Blue - Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis Tailed Copper - Lycaena arota Lustrous Copper - Lycaena cupreus Gray Copper - Lycaena dione Dorcas Copper - Lycaena dorcas Edith's Copper - Lycaena editha Ferris' Copper - Lycaena ferrisi Gorgon Copper - Lycaena gorgon Purplish Copper - Lycaena helloides Hermes Copper - Lycaena hermes Blue Copper - Lycaena heteronea Mariposa Copper - Lycaena mariposa Lilac-bordered Copper - Lycaena nivalis Ruddy Copper - Lycaena rubidus Great Copper - Lycaena xanthoides Gray Ministreak - Ministrymon azia Clytie Ministreak - Ministrymon clytie Leda Ministreak - Ministrymon leda Black Hairstreak - Ocaria ocrisia Aquamarine Hairstreak - Oenomaus ortygnus Zebra-striped Hairstreak - Panthiades bathildis Bitias Hairstreak - Panthiades bitias White M Hairstreak - Parrhasius m album Mexican-M Hairstreak - Parrhasius moctezuma Soapberry Hairstreak - Phaeostrymon alcestis Sonoran Blue - Philotes sonorensis Pumice Dotted-Blue - Philotiella leona Small Dotted-Blue - Philotiella speciosa Acmon Blue - Plebejus acmon Anna's Blue - Plebejus anna Cassiope Blue - Plebejus cassiope Cotundra Blue - Plebejus cotundra San Emigdio Blue - Plebejus emigdionis Friday's Blue - Plebejus fridayi Arctic Blue - Plebejus glandon 'Rustic' Arctic Blue - Plebejus glandon rusticus Boisduval's Blue - Plebejus icarioides Northern Blue - Plebejus idas Lupine Blue - Plebejus lupini Veined Blue - Plebejus neurona Cranberry Blue - Plebejus optilete Sierra Nevada Blue - Plebejus podarce Shasta Blue - Plebejus shasta European Common Blue - Polyommatus icarus Sky-blue Hairstreak - Pseudolycaena damo Marius Hairstreak - Rekoa marius Gold-bordered Hairstreak - Rekoa palegon Zebina Hairstreak - Rekoa zebina Gold-hunter's Hairstreak - Satyrium auretorum Behr's Hairstreak - Satyrium behrii California Hairstreak - Satyrium californica Hickory Hairstreak - Satyrium caryaevorus Southern Hairstreak - Satyrium favonius 'Northern' Southern Hairstreak - Satyrium favonius ontario Sooty Hairstreak - Satyrium fuliginosum Ilavia Hairstreak - Satyrium ilavia King's Hairstreak - Satyrium kingi Poling's Hairstreak - Satyrium polingi Hedgerow Hairstreak - Satyrium saepium Sagebrush Sooty Hairstreak - Satyrium semiluna Sylvan Hairstreak - Satyrium sylvinus Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak - Satyrium tetra Pearly-gray Hairstreak - Strephonota tephraeus Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon acis White Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon albata Lacey's Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon alea Avalon Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon avalona Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon bazochii Red-lined Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon bebrycia Tailless Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon cestri Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon istapa Disguised Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon limenia Martial Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon martialis Megarus Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon megarus Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon rufofusca Bromeliad Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon serapio Yojoa Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon yojoa Red-spotted Hairstreak - Tmolus echion Hawaiian Blue, Blackburn's Blue - Udara blackburni Orange-crescent Groundstreak - Ziegleria guzanta Cyna Blue - Zizula cyna
Species Found in the U.S.
Harvester - Feniseca tarquinius Strophius Hairstreak - Allosmaitia strophius Creamy Stripestreak - Arawacus jada Fine-lined Hairstreak - Arawacus sito Togarna Hairstreak - Arawacus togarna Great Purple Hairstreak - Atlides halesus Mission Blue - Aricia icarioides missionensis Common Brangas - Brangas neora Western Pygmy-Blue - Brephidium exilis Eastern Pygmy-Blue - Brephidium pseudofea Western Green Hairstreak - Callophrys affinis Apama Western Green Hairstreak - Callophrys apama Barry's Hairstreak - Callophrys barryi Coastal Green Hairstreak - Callophrys dumetorum Desert Elfin - Callophrys fotis Olive Juniper Hairstreak - Callophrys gryneus gryneus Johnson's Hairstreak - Callophrys johnsoni Alpine Sheridan's Hairstreak - Callophrys lemberti Sandia Hairstreak - Callophrys mcfarlandi Moss' Elfin - Callophrys mossii San Bruno Elfin - Callophrys mossii bayensis Muir's Hairstreak - Callophrys muiri Nelson's Hairstreak - Callophrys nelsoni Rosner's Hairstreak - Callophrys rosneri Sheridan's Green Hairstreak - Callophrys sheridanii Desert Green Hairstreak - Callophrys sheridanii comstocki Thicket Hairstreak - Callophrys spinetorum Thorne's Juniper - Callophrys thornei Xami Hairstreak - Callophrys xami Red-banded Hairstreak - Calycopis cecrops White-striped Groundstreak - Calycopis clarina Dusky-blue Groundstreak - Calycopis isobeon Echo Azure - Celastrina echo Mexican Azure - Celastrina gozora Hops Azure - Celastrina humulus American Holly Azure - Celastrina idella Northern Azure - Celastrina lucia Appalachian Azure - Celastrina neglecta major Dusky Azure - Celastrina nigra Cherry Gall Azure - Celastrina serotina Amethyst Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon maesites Silver-banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis Telea Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon telea Western Tailed-Blue - Cupido amyntula Stained Greenstreak - Cyanophrys agricolor Goodson's Greenstreak - Cyanophrys goodsoni Tropical Greenstreak - Cyanophrys herodotus Long-winged Greenstreak - Cyanophrys longula Clench's Greenstreak - Cyanophrys miserabilis Nickerbean Blue - Cyclargus ammon Miami Blue - Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri Reakirt's Blue - Echinargus isola Fulvous Hairstreak - Electrostrymon angelia Muted Hairstreak - Electrostrymon joya Ruddy Hairstreak - Electrostrymon sangala Arizona Hairstreak - Erora quaderna Atala - Eumaeus atala Superb Cycadian or Great Cycadian - Eumaeus childrenae Mexican Cycadian - Eumaeus toxea Rocky Mountain Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes ancilla Western Square-dotted Blue - Euphilotes battoides El Segundo Blue - Euphilotes battoides allyni Bauer's Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes baueri Bernardino Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes bernardino Central Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes centralis Columbian Blue - Euphilotes Columbiae Ellis' Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes ellisi Pacific Dotted-Blue - Euphilotes enoptes Smith's Blue - Euphilotes enoptes smithi
Additional Information Key: Profile Photos Video Audio NH Species American Copper - Lycaena phlaeas The American copper is found in northern and central North America, Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Gray Hairstreak - Strymon melinus The gray hairstreak is found from Southern Canada to Central America and Northwestern South America. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School European Common Blue - Polyommatus icarus The European common blue is found in Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Great Purple Hairstreak - Atlides halesus The great purple hairstreak is found from Guatemala north to the southern United States. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Hermes Copper - Lycaena hermes The Hermes copper is only found from San Diego County, California to northern Baja California. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Hermes Copper - Lycaena hermes The upper side of the Hermes copper is brown with a yellow-orange patch surrounding black spots. The underside is bright yellow. Source: San Diego Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Karner Blue Butterfly-Plebejus samuelis The Karner blue butterfly is the size of a dime. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Sierra Nevada Blue - Plebejus podarce The Sierra Nevada blue is found from Southern Oregon to central California. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Western Pygmy-Blue - Brephidium exilis The western pygmy-blue is the smallest butterfly in North America. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Lycaenidae - Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters

Classification

New Hampshire Species

Species Found in the U.S.

Species Found in the U.S.

Additional Information

Explore the Natural World - Local & National PBS Video