Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Eastern Tailed-Blue

I love noticing butterflies that I've never seen before, and for whatever reason, this feels especially rewarding when those butterflies are small and easy to overlook. This Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) was fluttering around in Silver Sands State Park this morning, and it probably wasn't much bigger than my thumb nail, but boy was it pretty:
 

Apparently these butterflies are quite common, but I don't remember ever really looking at one before. Some of my favorite details include those two whispy "tails" on its hindwings, the small orange spots nestled in clean gray, and of course, the brilliant blue when those gray wings open:
 

That blue color means that this is a male, since female Eastern Tailed-Blues are a duller brown/gray (or so I've read). Keep flashing those wings, you pretty little fellow!

3 comments:

  1. Whoa! You actually got a photo of its blue wings! Good for you! I have stalked and stalked this butterfly, only to have it disappear when it landed and closed its wings.

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    1. I'm surprised that didn't happen to me, too! This guy was too interested in puddling on the path, maybe, to notice me too much... which is fine with me!

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  2. Amazing ... the contrast ... and that little orange splotch ... what a contrast! Nice photos!

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