Long-tailed blue

The Long-tailed blue is a migratory butterfly with a fast irregular flight that is similar to Lang’s short-tailed blue. A few examples may survive the winter and be seen at the beginning of spring. Nevertheless, the main part of the island’s population of this species arrives from North Africa in May and June and at the end of summer it is at its commonest. Amongst the typical plants this species uses as a food plant are wild peas, genistas, alfalfa and gorse. Like Lang’s short-tailed blue, this species always lays its eggs on the buds of flowers about to open so that the emerging caterpillars can feed on the recently opened flowers.
Scientific name: Lampides boeticus

See all butterflies of Menorca