After the giant rustic sphinx caterpillar and moth last week, let’s take a look at some tiny little butterflies.
How tiny are these butterflies? To put things in perspective, do you see the winged aphid under the flower petal to the right? You know how small aphids are, right?
In fact, this butterfly is a Western pygmy blue, which is the smallest butterfly in North America!
Although they are called blues, their upper wings are mostly coppery brown, about the color of the forewing here.
The larvae feed on pigweed, goosefoot, Russian thistle or saltbush (Atriplex). This adult is taking nectar from a brittlebush flower.
Western pygmy blues are fairly common, but easy to overlook. Have you ever seen one?
