This small blue butterfly has a 3/4 -1 inch wing span. It is the only “tailed” blue in the east and could be mistaken for a hairstreak. The male is bright blue dorsally and the female is mostly brownish. Both sexes have 1 or 2 orange spots near the tail. Ventrally they are silvery with a few black spots on both wings. The hindwing has 1 to 3 orange spots near the base of the tail. Both sexes have a white fringe on the wings. The abdomen is gray. The caterpillar is about 1/2 inch in length and covered with short hairs. The ground color varies from green to yellow, pink to rose to dark brown. There is usually a dark mid-dorsal line. The entire body is peppered with small white (sometimes black) dots.
This is a common butterfly and can be seen anywhere in Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods during the spring and summer. They perch on low vegetation, and sometimes males can be seen “puddling” singly or in groups taking minerals from wet soil.
Blues tend to fly more slowly than hairstreaks. This species commonly rubs their hindwings together while perched. The caterpillar is said to overwinter inside pea and bean pods. The host plants of the larvae are many legumes and beans especially clovers and tick trefoil. Formerly named Everes comyntas.
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