Gossamer-wings are our smallest butterflies. Their wingspans

Wingspan

The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...

 range from 0.5-2.0 inches (1.2-5.1cm). There are about 7,000 species worldwide with about 139 species in North America. Gossamer-wings include the subfamilies Hairstreaks, Harvesters, Coppers, and Blues. Their flights vary from the fast, erratic Hairstreaks to the slow, bouncy Blues. They like to feed at flowers, and males like to puddle at damp ground. Most male Gossamer-wings locate females by perching, while some males patrol. The turban-shaped eggs are usually laid singly. The larva

Larva

A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...

 is oval-shaped with a flattened underside. Some species have honeydew

Honeydew (secretion)

Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...

 glands that attract ants

Ant

Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...

. Ants like to eat and collect the honeydew made by the caterpillar. In turn, the ants will swarm over anything that might try to harm the larva. The chrysalis is usually formed in leaf litter. Many chrysalises can make faint noises. Scientists believe this noise might ward off predatory ants.

Subfamily Miletinae

Miletinae

Miletinae is a subfamily of the Lycaenidae family of butterflies, commonly called Harvesters, and virtually unique among butterflies in having predatory larvae....

: Harvesters

• Harvester, Feniseca tarquinius
  Feniseca tarquinius
  The Harvester is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae, and the only member of its genus. It is found in North America.The wingspan is 23–32 mm....
  
  

Subfamily Lycaeninae

Lycaeninae

Lycaeninae, the coppers, are a subfamily of the gossamer-winged butterflies .The relationships of the Lycaenidae are not fully resolved. Sometimes the Polyommatinae and Theclinae are included in the Lycaeninae; in particular the Theclinae tribe Eumaeini contains many similar taxa...

: Coppers

• Tailed Copper, Lycaena arota
  Lycaena arota
  The Tailed Copper is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from New Mexico north and west to Oregon, south to southern California and Baja California....
  
  
• American Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
• Lustrous Copper, Lycaena cupreus
  • "Snow's" Lustrous Copper, Lycaena cupreus snowi
• Great Copper, Lycaena xanthoides
• Gray Copper, Lycaena dione
  Lycaena dione
  The Grey Copper or Great Copper is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from the southern Prairie Provinces of Canada and western Ontario south to Texas and east to Illinois and Missouri. There is a disjunct population in southern British Columbia.The wingspan is 24–38 mm. Adults...
  
  
• Edith's Copper, Lycaena editha
• Gorgon Copper, Lycaena goron
• Bronze Copper, Lycaena hyllus
  Lycaena hyllus
  The Bronze Copper is a butterfly of the lycaenids family found in North America.- Description :Upperside has a brown background with golden zig-zag borders along the margins of the hindwings. Females have lighter areas in the forewings with several dark spots within the lighter areas...
  
  
• Ruddy Copper, Lycaena rubidus
  • "White Mountains" Copper, Lycaena rubidus ferrisi
• Blue Copper, Lycaena heteronea
• Bog Copper, Lycaena epixanthe
  Lycaena epixanthe
  The Bog Copper or Cranberry-Bog Copper is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Adults like to sip drops of dew clinging to leaves and almost exclusively nectar on their host plant, Cranberries. Because of this, Bog Coppers will spend their entire lives within the area of a single...
  
  
• Dorcas Copper, Lycaena dorcas
  Lycaena dorcas
  The Dorcas Copper or Cinquefoil Copper is a species of Lycaeninae that occurs in North America. The species L. dospassosi was once considered the same as L. dorcas.- Description :...
  
  
  • "Maine" Dorcas Copper, Lycaena dorcas claytoni
  • "Salt Marsh" Dorcas Copper, Lycaena dorcas dospassosi
• Purplish Copper, Lycaena helloides
  Lycaena helloides
  The Purplish Copper is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Great Lakes area to British Columbia, south to Baja California....
  
  
• Lilac-bordered Copper, Lycaena nivalis
• Mariposa Copper, Lycaena mariposa
• Hermes Copper, Lycaena hermes

Subfamily Theclinae

Theclinae

Subfamily Theclinae is a group of butterflies, including the hairstreaks, elfins and allies, in the family Lycaenidae. There are many tropical species as well as a number found in the Americas. Tropical hairstreaks often have iridescent blue coloration above, caused by reflected light from the...

: Hairstreaks

• Colorado Hairstreak, Hypaurotia crysalus
• Golden Hairstreak, Habrodais grunus
• Atala, Eumaeus atala
  Eumaeus atala
  The Atala, Eumaeus atala, is a small colorful butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Its coloration and habits are unique among butterflies within its range....
  
  
• Superb Cycadian, Eumaeus childrenae
• Strophius Hairstreak, Allosmaitia strophius
  Allosmaitia strophius
  The Strophius Hairstreak is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from southern Brazil, north to Sinaloa, Mexico. Strays can be found as far north as Texas....
  
  
• Great Purple Hairstreak, Atlides halesus
• Creamy Stripe-Streak, Arawacus jada
• Gold-bordered Hairstreak, Rekoa palegon
• Smudged Hairstreak, Rekoa stagira
• Marius Hairstreak, Rekoa marius
• Black Hairstreak, Ocaria ocrisia
• Amethyst Hairstreak, Chlorostrymon maesites
• Telea Hairstreak, Chlorostrymon telea
• Silver-banded Hairstreak, Chlorostrymon simaethis
  Chlorostrymon simaethis
  The Silver-banded Hairstreak is a North and South American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is also known as St. Christopher's Hairstreak and the Key Lime Hairstreak.-Description:...
  
  
• Soapberry Hairstreak, Phaeostrymon alcestis
  Phaeostrymon alcestis
  The Soapberry Hairstreak is the only species of the gossamer-winged butterfly genus Phaeostrymon....
  
  
• Coral Hairstreak, Satyrium titus
  Satyrium titus
  The Coral Hairstreak is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.- Description :This tailless hairstreak is brownish gray on the upper side of the wings...
  
  
• Behr's Hairstreak, Satyrium behrii
• Sooty Hairstreak, Satyrium fuliginosum
• Acadian Hairstreak, Satyrium acadica
  Satyrium acadica
  The Acadian Hairstreak is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from British Columbia east to Nova Scotia and south to Idaho, Colorado, the northern Midwest, Maryland and New Jersey....
  
  
• California Hairstreak, Satyrium californica
  Satyrium californica
  The California Hairstreak is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from British Columbia south to southern California and east to Colorado....
  
  
• Sylvan Hairstreak, Satyrium sylvinus
• Edward's Hairstreak, Satyrium edwardsii
  Satyrium edwardsii
  Edwards' Hairstreak is a species of butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in the eastern parts of the United States and in the southern parts of the Canadian provinces from Saskatchewan to Quebec....
  
  
• Banded Hairstreak, Satyrium calanus
  Satyrium calanus
  The Banded Hairstreak is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.-Appearance, behaviour and distribution:The Banded Hairstreak is a common hairstreak east of the Rocky Mountains in North America...
  
  
• Hickory Hairstreak, Satyrium caryaevorum
• King's Hairstreak, Satyrium kingi
• Striped Hairstreak, Satyrium liparops
• Gold-hunter's Hairstreak, Satyrium auretorum
• Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak, Satyrium tetra
• Hedgerow Hairstreak, Satyrium saepium
• Oak Hairstreak, Satyrium favonius
  Satyrium favonius
  The Oak Hairstreak or Southern Hairstreak is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from southern New England and the Atlantic Coast south to peninsular Florida and west to central Illinois, south-eastern Colorado and the Gulf Coast.The wingspan is 22-38 mm. There are two tails on each...
  
  
  • "Southern" Oak Hairstreak, Satyrium favonius favonius
  • "Northern" Oak Hairstreak, Satyrium favonius ontario
• Ilavia Hairstreak, Satyrium ilavia
• Poling's Hairstreak, Satyrium polingi
• Clench's Greenstreak, Cyanophrys miserabilis
• Goodson's Greenstreak, Cyanophrys goodsoni
• Cramer's Greenstreak, Cyanophrys amyntor
  Cyanophrys amyntor
  The Amyntor Greenstreak is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in the lowland tropics from Mexico to Brazil. Known in the United States from a single specimen from the Big Bend region of western Texas. It has also been recorded from Hawaii.The wingspan is 24-28 mm...
  
  
• Tropical Greenstreak, Cyanophrys herodotus
• Brown-spotted Greenstreak, Cyanophrys longula
  Cyanophrys longula
  The Long-winged Greenstreak is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Mexico, with strays recorded from south-eastern Arizona. It has also been recorded from Hawaii.The wingspan is 21-30 mm...
  
  
• Bramble Hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum
  Callophrys dumetorum
  The Coastal Green Hairstreak, Bramble Green Hairstreak, or Bluish Green Hairstreak is butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in coastal California and rarely in inland California. Subspecies oregonensis is known as the Oregon Green Hairstreak.The wingspan is 25–32 mm...
  
  
  • "Bramble" Bramble Hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum dumetorum
  • "Coastal" Bramble Hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum viridis
  • "Canyon" Bramble Hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum apama
  • "Immaculate" Bramble Hairstreak, Callophys dumetorum affinis
• Sheridan's Hairstreak, Callophrys sheridanii
  Callophrys sheridanii
  Callophrys sheridanii, common name Sheridan's Hairstreak and Sheridan's Green Hairstreak, is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found along the south coast of British Columbia and parts of Nevada, Arizona, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, and New Mexico...
  
  
  • "White-lined" Sheridan's Hairstreak, Callophrys sheridanii sheridanii
  • "Desert" Sheridan's Hairstreak, Callophrys sheridanii comstocki
  • "Alpine" Sheridan's Hairstreak, Callophrys sheridanii lemberti
• Xami Hairstreak, Callophrys xami
• Sandia Hairstreak, Callophrys mcfarlandi
• Brown Elfin, Callophrys augustinus
  Callophrys augustinus
  The Brown Elfin is butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in from Newfoundland north and west through the northern United States and the prairie provinces to Alaska. To the south it ranges in Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and northern The Brown Elfin is [[butterfly]] of the...
  
  
• Desert Elfin, Callophrys fotis
• Moss's Elfin, Callophrys mossii
• Hoary Elfin, Callophrys polios
• Frosted Elfin, Callophrys irus
  Callophrys irus
  The Frosted Elfin is a species of Lycaenidae that is native to North America.-Description:The wingspan ranges from , hindwings have one short tail. The top side of the wing is brown, males have long oval dark spots on the leading edge of their forewings...
  
  
• Henry's Elfin, Callophrys henrici
  Callophrys henrici
  Henry's Elfin is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. In Canada it is found from southern Manitoba to southern Nova Scotia...
  
  
• Bog Elfin, Callophrys lanoraieensis
  Callophrys lanoraieensis
  The Bog Elfin is a species of Lycaenidae that is native to North America.-Description:The wingspan ranges from . It is a dull brown and tailless.The caterpillars eat Black Spruce .-Range:...
  
  
• Eastern Pine Elfin, Callophrys niphon
  Callophrys niphon
  The Eastern Pine Elfin is a species of Lycaenidae that is native to North America.-Description:Similar to the Western Pine Elfin but has two dark bars instead of one in the forewing underside cell with strong patterning on the underside.The wingspan ranges from .-Life history:There is one flight...
  
  
• Western Pine Elfin, Callophrys eryphon
• Thicket Hairstreak, Callophrys spinetorum
• Johnson's Hairstreak, Callophrys johnsoni
• Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus
  Callophrys gryneus
  The Juniper Hairstreak is a butterfly native to North America. It belongs in the family Lycaenidae.-Description:For a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossary...
  
  
  • "Olive" Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus gryneus
  • "Sweadner's" Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus sweadneri
  • "Siva" Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus siva
  • "Nelson's" Juniper Hiarstreak, Callophrys gryneus nelsoni
  • "Muir's" Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus muiri
  • "Loki's" Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus loki
  • "Thorne's Juniper Hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus thornei
• Hessel's Hairstreak, Callophrys hesseli
• Aquamarine Hairstreak, Oenomaus ortygnus
• Broken-M Hairstreak, Parrhasius polibetes
• White M Hairstreak, Parrhasius m-album
  Parrhasius m-album
  The White M Hairstreak, Parrhasius m-album, is a species of butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Connecticut west to southeast Iowa and Missouri south to east Texas the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida. Rare stray to Michigan and Wisconsin.The wingspan is 32–41 mm.The larvae...
  
  
• Mexican-M Hairstreak, Parhassius moctezuma
• Gray Hairstreak, Strymon melinus
• Avalon Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon avalona
• Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon rufofusca
• Red-lined Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon bebrycia
• Martial Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon martialis
• Yojoa Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon yojoa
• White Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon albata
• Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon acis
• Lacey's Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon alea
• Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon istapa
• Disguised Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon limenia
• Tailless Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon cestri
• Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon bazochii
  Strymon bazochii
  The Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak or Smaller Lantana Butterfly is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Paraguay north through Central America, the West Indies and Mexico to southern Texas. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to control lantana, in which it has proven unsuccessful.The...
  
  
• Bromeliad Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon serapio
• Confusing Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon megarus
• Red-spotted Hairstreak, Tmolus echion
  Tmolus echion
  The Red-spotted Hairstreak or Larger Lantana Butterfly is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Brazil, north to Sinaloa and Tamaulipas in Mexico. Rare strays can be found in southern Texas. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to control lantana.The wingspan is 22-32 mm...
  
  
• Orange-crescent Groundstreak, Ziegleria guzanta
• Ruddy Hairstreak, Electrostrymon sangala
• Fulvous Hairstreak, Electrostrymon angelia
• Muted Hairstreak, Electrostrymon canus
• Red-banded Hairstreak, Calycopis cecrops
• Dusky-blue Groundstreak, Calycopis isobeon
• Susanna's Groundstreak, Calycopis origo
• Red-spotted Hairstreak, Tmolus echion
  Tmolus echion
  The Red-spotted Hairstreak or Larger Lantana Butterfly is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Brazil, north to Sinaloa and Tamaulipas in Mexico. Rare strays can be found in southern Texas. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to control lantana.The wingspan is 22-32 mm...
  
  
• Pearly-gray Hairstreak, Siderus tephraeus
• Leda Ministreak, Ministrymon leda
• Clytie Ministreak, Ministrymon clytie
• Red-flocked Ministreak, Ministrymon phrutus
• Gray Ministreak, Ministrymon azia
• Sonoran Hairstreak, Hypostrymon critola
• Early Hairstreak, Erora laeta
• Arizona Hairstreak, Erora quaderna

Subfamily Polyommatinae

Polyommatinae

Polyommatinae, the blues, are a subfamily of gossamer-winged butterflies . It was long used to assign taxa of unclear relationships, and its contents are in need of revision...

: Blues

• Western Pygmy Blue, Brephidium exile
• Eastern Pygmy Blue, Brephidium isophthalma
• Cassius Blue, Leptotes cassius
  Leptotes cassius
  Leptotes cassius, commonly known as the Cassius Blue or Tropical Striped Blue, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Florida and the Keys, Texas south through the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America to South America...
  
  
• Marine Blue, Leptotes marina
  Leptotes marina
  The Marine Blue or Striped Blue is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in from South America through Mexico up to Southern Texas, Arizona and California.The wingspan is 22–29 mm...
  
  
• Pea Blue, Lampides boeticus
  Lampides boeticus
  The Peablue, Pea Blue, or Long-tailed Blue is a small butterfly found in Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australia that belongs to the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged family....
  
  
• Cyna Blue, Zizula cyna
  Zizula cyna
  The Cyna Blue is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from southern Texas, south through Mexico, Central America and South America to Argentina. Strays can be found up to northern Texas, southern Arizona and Kansas. They are usually found in subtropical areas and deserts.The wingspan...
  
  
• Lesser Grass-Blue, Zizina otis
  Zizina otis
  The Lesser Grass Blue, Zizina otis, is a species of blue butterfly found in south Asia. The Lesser Grass Blue is often misidentified as the Common Grass Blue, Zizina labradus.-Male upperside:...
  
  
• Miami Blue, Cyclargus thomasi
• Nickerbean Blue, Cyclargus ammon
• Ceraunus Blue, Hemiargus ceraunus
• Reakirt's Blue, Hemiargus isola
• Eastern Tailed-Blue, Everes comyntas
• Western Tailed-Blue, Everes amyntula
• Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon
  Celastrina ladon
  The Spring Azure is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in North America from Alaska and Canada south of the tundra through most of the United States except the Texas coast, southern plain and peninsular Florida; south in the mountains to Colombia.Since the publication of a monograph...
  
  
  • "Spring" Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon ladon
  • "Holly" Spring Azure or "Atlantic" Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon idella
  • "Hops" Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon humulus
  • "Manitoba" Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon argentata
  • "Summer" Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon neglecta
• Appalachian Azure, Celastrina neglectamajor
• Dusty Azure, Celastrina nigra
• Hawaiian Blue, Vaga blackburni
• Sonoran Blue, Philotes sonorensis
• Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides
  Euphilotes battoides
  The Square-spotted Blue or Buckwheat Blue is a species of butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Washington south to Baja California Norte and then west to southern Colorado and New Mexico....
  
  
  • "El Segundo" Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides allyni
  • "Bernardino" Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides bernardino
  • Euphilotes battoides intermedia
  • "Bauer's" Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides baueri
  • "Central" Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides centralis
  • "Ellis's" Square-spotted Blue, Euphilotes battoides ellisi
• Dotted Blue, Euphilotes enoptes
  • "Mojave" Dotted Blue, Euphilotes enoptes mojave
  • "Dammer's Dotted Blue, Euphilotes enoptes dammersi
  • "Ancilla" Dotted Blue, Euphilotes enoptes ancilla
• Rita Blue, Euphilotes rita
  Euphilotes rita
  The Rita Blue or Desert Buckwheat Blue is a species of butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico....
  
  
  • "Pale" Rita Blue, Euphilotes rita pallescens
• Spalding's Blue, Euphilotes spaldingi
• Small Blue, Philotiella speciosa
  • Philotiella speciosa leona
• Arrowhead Blue, Glaucopsyche piasus
  Glaucopsyche piasus
  The Arrowhead Blue is a western North American butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is a locally common butterfly that favors prairie, open woodland, and woodland edges and trails.-External links:*, Butterflies of Canada...
  
  
• Silvery Blue, Glaucopsyche lygdamus
  Glaucopsyche lygdamus
  The Silvery Blue is a small butterfly native to North America. Upperside is a light blue in males, a dull grayish blue in females. Underside is gray with single row of round spots of differing sizes depending upon region.G...
  
  
• Northern Blue, Lycaeides idas
• Melissa Blue, Lycaeides melissa
  Lycaeides melissa
  The Melissa Blue is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Western North America, from Canada to Mexico. The Karner Blue is a subspecies of the Melissa Blue.The wingspan is 22–35 mm...
  
  
  • "Karner" Melissa Blue, Lycaeides melissa samuelis
• Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus
• San Emigdio Blue, Plebejus emigdionis
• Boisduval's Blue, Plebejus icarioides
  • "Mission" Boisduval's Blue, Plebejus icarioides missionensis
• Shasta Blue, Plebejus shasta
• Acmon Blue, Plebejus acmon
• Lupine Blue, Plebejus lupinus
• Veined Blue, Plebejus neurona
• Cranberry Blue, Vacciniina optilete
• Arctic Blue, Agriades glandon
  • "Glandon" Arctic Blue, Agriades glandon glandon
  • "Sierra" Arctic Blue, Agriades glandon podarce
  • "Rustic" Arctic Blue, Agriades glandon rustica
• Heather Blue, Agriades cassiope