Everes comyntas

Everes comyntas can be found in the upper Sonoran Zone to lower Canadian foothills, or the lower Canadian Zone in the east. Most populations are found in the eastern United States and Canadian areas. There are some isolated colonies in Oregon and California. (Milne, 1980; Scott, 1986; Tveten, 1996)

The habitats in which they live are usually moist meadows, desert foothills, stream sides, roadsides and forest paths or clearings. Also, they are attracted to weedy fields and gardens. This causes Everes comyntas to profit from human encroachment. (Milne, 1980; Scott, 1986; Tveten, 1996)

Tailed blues have a wingspan of 7/8 - 1 1/8". The wings of the males are pale blue with a brownish tint on the sides. There is a small orange spot at the base of the tail of these butterflies. Females have larger wings that are gray with a shot of blue streaking down them. The underside of the female's wings are gray and white with a curved row of gray spots. The hindwings have eyespots. During the spring the females are bluer than during the summer, when E. comyntas is brown. There are two orange spots on the underside of the butterfly, and the upper side has an orange spot on the males. (Carter, 1992; Milne, 1980; Scott, 1986)

The eggs from E. comyntas are laid on the leaves and flowers. The eggs, which are pale green in color, will develop into mature larvae that hibernate within the host's pod. The caterpillars are hairy with a dark green body. They also have dark brown stripes and a small black head. The caterpillars will use the flower bud that they were laid on as food, and then will later construct and hibernate their cocoon for the winter months. In the spring, an E. comyntas butterfly will emerge from the cocoon, and the life cycle will start over again. (Scott, 1986)

Tailed blues live in habitats where there are humans. They fly from the spring to the fall (about March to November), and also keep flight during the day. They are weak fliers, fly just above the tops of grass, and stay in sunny environments. (Carter, 1992; Milne, 1980; Tveten, 1996)

Everes comyntas has a short proboscis (the small, flexible snout which the butterfly uses to sip nectar), which restricts it to feeding from open or short-tubed flowers. Blossoms are also frequently visited by this species. Often E. comyntas will fly to mud puddles for water, which provide it with amino acids and dissolved minerals. Its favorite food plants are lupine and vetch. The caterpillar of E. comyntas eats clover and other leguminous plants. (Milne, 1980; Stokes and Stokes, 1991; Tveten, 1996)

Everes comyntas has a mutualistic association with ants. The caterpillars of this species secrete a "honeydew" from their abdomen. This liquid is rich in sugars and proteins. The liquid feeds the ants, and in return the ants protect the caterpillars against any possible predators.

Additionally, when E. comyntas senses a potential predator, it will rub its hindwings together to divert the predator from its vulnerable foreparts. (Stokes and Stokes, 1991; Tveten, 1996)

This species acts as a pollinator, and also as an herbivore. It also may be prey to many other species.

Conservation for the E. comyntas is not usually required. The Nature Conservancy Global Ranking system gives this species a rank of G5 which means that the E. comyntas is secure, but might be rare in some parts of its geographical range. (Opler 1992)

Everes comyntas are in the same family as coppers, metalmarks and hairstreaks. This family contains some of the smallest species of butterflies. There is a subspecies of E. comyntas in Texas called E. c. texanus (Texas Tailed Blue). Also, E. comyntas is the only Nearctic member of the Plebejini which has tailed hind wings. (Ehrlich, 1961; Neck, 1996; Stokes and Stokes, 1991)

Everes comyntas are in the same family as coppers, metalmarks and hairstreaks. This family contains some of the smallest species of butterflies. (Ehrlich, 1961; Neck, 1996; Stokes and Stokes, 1991)