Baby Footprint Tattoos Wings

Canela

Lampides boeticus (Linnaeus 1767)

Long Tailed Blue

Photo: Manu Océn

is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 30 to 35 mm . Presents a clear sexual dimorphism, males have the upper wings of blue-violet color, females, however, have limited these shades of blue at the base of these, the rest brown. The reverse in both sexes is light straw with a series of whitish longitudinal stripes.

In the bottom of the wings we can see a couple of little tails and two ocelli black, with shades of green and orange on the outside. Both the tail and the spots mimic eyes and the antennae of the butterfly, accompanied by a slight movement of the hind wing, failing to attract the predators to attack this place, except keeping their vital parts.

Photo: Manu Océn

Despite its small size, strongly butterfly migrates. Its flight period is between April and October, with several generations per year (polivoltina).

occupies a large diversity of habitats, from alpine areas to meadows and hedges, through gardens and crops. The caterpillars are polyphagous and feed on various species of legumes.