Gossamer-wings are the smallest butterflies . Their wingspans range from 0.5-2.0 inches (1.2-5.1 cm). 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 is oval shaped with a flattened underside. Some species have honeydew glands that attract ants . 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.
Gray hairstreak, Strymon melinus , larva
American copper, Lycaena phlaeas
Tailed copper, Lycaena arota
Lustrous copper, Lycaena cupreus
Snow's lustrous copper, Lycaena cupreus snowi
Gray copper, Lycaena dione
Dorcas copper, Lycaena dorcas
Maine dorcas copper, Lycaena dorcas claytoni
Salt marsh dorcas copper, Lycaena dorcas dospassosi
Edith's copper, Lycaena editha
Bog copper, Lycaena epixanthe
Gorgon copper, Lycaena gorgon
Purplish copper, Lycaena helloides
Hermes copper, Lycaena hermes
Blue copper, Lycaena heteronea
Bronze copper, Lycaena hyllus
Mariposa copper, Lycaena mariposa
Lilac-bordered copper, Lycaena nivalis
American copper, Lycaena phlaeas
Ruddy copper, Lycaena rubidus
White Mountains copper, Lycaena rubidus ferrisi
Great copper, Lycaena xanthoides
Atala, Eumaeus atala .
Great purple hairstreak, Atlides halesus
Coral hairstreak, Satyrium titus , on butterfly weed
Banded hairstreak, Satyrium calanus
Gray hairstreak, Strymon melinus
Red-banded hairstreak, Calycopis cecrops
Colorado hairstreak, Hypaurotia crysalus
Golden hairstreak, Habrodais grunus
Atala, Eumaeus atala
Superb cycadian, Eumaeus childrenae
Strophius hairstreak, Allosmaitia strophius
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
Soapberry hairstreak, Phaeostrymon alcestis
Coral hairstreak, Satyrium titus
Behr's hairstreak, Satyrium behrii
Sooty hairstreak, Satyrium fuliginosum
Acadian hairstreak, Satyrium acadica
California hairstreak, Satyrium californica
Sylvan hairstreak, Satyrium sylvinus
Edward's hairstreak, Satyrium edwardsii
Banded hairstreak, Satyrium calanus
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
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
Tropical greenstreak, Cyanophrys herodotus
Brown-spotted greenstreak, Cyanophrys longula
Bramble hairstreak, Callophrys dumetorum
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
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
Desert elfin, Callophrys fotis
Moss's elfin, Callophrys mossii
Hoary elfin, Callophrys polios
Frosted elfin, Callophrys irus
Henry's elfin, Callophrys henrici
Bog elfin, Callophrys lanoraieensis
Eastern pine elfin, Callophrys niphon
Western pine elfin, Callophrys eryphon
Thicket hairstreak, Callophrys spinetorum
Johnson's hairstreak, Callophrys johnsoni
Juniper hairstreak, Callophrys gryneus
Hessel's hairstreak, Callophrys hesseli
Aquamarine hairstreak, Oenomaus ortygnus
Broken-M hairstreak, Parrhasius polibetes
White M hairstreak, Parrhasius m-album
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
Bromeliad scrub-hairstreak, Strymon serapio
Confusing scrub-hairstreak, Strymon megarus
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
Pearly-gray hairstreak, Siderus tephraeus
Leda ministreak, Ministrymon leda
Clytie ministreak, Ministrymon clytie
Red-flocked ministreak, Ministrymon phrutus
Gray ministreak, Ministrymon azia
Vicroy's ministreak, Ministrymon janevicroy
Sonoran hairstreak, Hypostrymon critola
Early hairstreak, Erora laeta
Arizona hairstreak, Erora quaderna
Western pygmy blue, Brephidium exilis
Male eastern tailed blue, Cupido comyntas
Female eastern tailed blue, Cupido comyntas
Acmon blue, Icaricia acmon
Heather blue, Agriades cassiope
Arctic blue, Agriades glandon
Cranberry blue, Agriades optilete
Sierra Nevada blue, Agriades podarce
Western pygmy blue, Brephidium exilis
Eastern pygmy blue, Brephidium isophthalma
Echo azure, Celastrina echo
Hops azure, Celastrina humulus
Holly azure, Celastrina idella
Spring azure, Celastrina ladon
Northern azure, Celastrina lucia
Summer azure, Celastrina neglecta
Manitoba summer azure, Celastrina neglecta argentata
Appalachian azure, Celastrina neglectamajor
Dusky azure, Celastrina nigra
Cherry gall azure, Celastrina serotina
Western tailed-blue, Cupido amyntula
Eastern tailed-blue, Cupido comyntas
Nickerbean blue, Cyclargus ammon
Miami blue, Cyclargus thomasi
Reakirt's blue, Echinargus isola
Square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides
El Segundo square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides allyni
Bauer's square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides baueri
Bernardino square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides bernardino
Central square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides centralis
Ellis's square-spotted blue, Euphilotes battoides ellisi
Euphilotes battoides intermedia
Dotted blue, Euphilotes enoptes
Ancilla dotted blue, Euphilotes enoptes ancilla
Dammer's dotted blue, Euphilotes enoptes dammersi
Mojave dotted blue, Euphilotes enoptes mojave
Rita blue, Euphilotes rita
Spalding's blue, Euphilotes spaldingi
Silvery blue, Glaucopsyche lygdamus
Arrowhead blue, Glaucopsyche piasus
Ceraunus blue, Hemiargus ceraunus
Acmon blue, Icaricia acmon
Boisduval's blue, Icaricia icarioides
Lupine blue, Icaricia lupini
Veined blue, Icaricia neurona
Greenish blue, Icaricia saepiolus
Shasta blue, Icaricia shasta
Pea blue, Lampides boeticus
Cassius blue, Leptotes cassius
Marine blue, Leptotes marina
Sonoran blue, Philotes sonorensis
Small blue, Philotiella speciosa
Philotiella speciosa leona
Northern blue, Plebejus idas
Melissa blue, Plebejus melissa
San Emigdio blue, Plebulina emigdionis
Cyna blue, Zizula cyna
Lesser grass-blue, Zizina otis
Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman (2003). Butterflies of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-618-15312-8 .