False-head-mimicry

Guides

• Lycaenidae

  gossamer-winged butterflies, blues, coppers, hairstreaks, harvesters

  Lycaenidae is the second-largest butterfly family worldwide, comprising over 6,000 species that constitute approximately 30% of known butterfly diversity. Members are commonly called gossamer-winged butterflies, blues, coppers, hairstreaks, or harvesters depending on subfamily. The family is distinguished by intimate ecological associations with ants, with roughly 75% of species exhibiting myrmecophily—relationships ranging from mutualistic to parasitic.

  butterfliesLepidopteramyrmecophilymutualismstructural-colorationgossamer-wingedbluescoppershairstreaksharvestersant-associationfalse-head-mimicrydorsal-nectary-glandtentacular-organ