Orange-Margined Blue Butterfly
The butterfly members of this Order of insects include the popular and usually colorful species. Butterfly groups include monarchs, satyrs, dagerwings, leaf-wings, owls, buckeyes, admirals, checkerspots, crecents, fritillaries, heliconids, riodinids, blues, hairstreaks, coppers, whites, orange-tips, sulphurs and swallowtails.
The delicate beauty belongs to a group of butterflies known as blues. Although this photograph mostly shows the underside, the top of the wings emit an iridescent sheen of purplish blue coloration. There are many species of blues that share this coloration characteristic. This orange-margined blue has attractive undersides with patches of metallic coloration. This species is widespread in the West and feeds on herbs and shrubs. Eggs are laid pale green with white ridges and the caterpillar is also greenish with an off-white stripe. Caterpillars secrete a sugary substance in the presence of ants, presumably to gain protection for their harvesters.