Western tailed-blue | |
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Mating pair | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Lycaenidae |
Genus: | Cupido |
Species: | C. amyntulaCupido amyntula'' |
Binomial name | |
Cupido amyntulaCupido amyntula'' Boisduval, 1852 |
The western tailed-blue (Cupido amyntula) is a member of the family Lycaenidae and is seen across western North America as far north as Alaska. The upperside of the male butterfly is blue while the female has a darker brown band on the outer side of the wing. The underside is riddled with black spots, with a wingspan of 2.2 to 2.9 cm. The larvae feed on Thermopsis, Astragalus, Oxytropis, Vicia, and Lathyrus species.