🔍 Tropical / Cassius Blue | Leptotes cassius 🦋
📍 Seen in Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷
💬 Did you know the Cassius Blue is one of the smallest butterflies in North America, with a wingspan so tiny it can rest comfortably on your fingernail? Despite its delicate size, it thrives across a surprisingly wide range — from the southern U.S. all the way through the Caribbean and into South America.
🐾 Fauna Key Data
Cassius Blue Leptotes cassius | |
| // Basic ID | |
| Conservation Status | LCLeast Concern (IUCN) |
| Coloration | Pale lavender-blue upperside in males; females more white with blue basal areas; underside with intricate white and brown striped pattern with two hindwing eyespots. |
| Lifespan | Several weeks as an adult; multiple generations per year in warm climates. |
| // Size | |
| Length | Approx. 8–10 mm (body) |
| Weight | Less than 1 g |
| Wingspan | 19–28 mm |
| // Habitat & Behavior | |
| Native Range | Southern United States (Florida, Texas) through the Caribbean, Central America, and into South America. |
| Habitat Type | Open disturbed areas, gardens, roadsides, coastal scrub, and tropical lowland forests. |
| Diet | Adults feed on nectar from small flowers; larvae feed on flowers and seeds of legumes (Fabaceae), especially leadwort (Plumbago) and rattleweed (Crotalaria). |
| Activity Pattern | Diurnal; active during daylight hours, most visible on warm sunny days. |
Sources: IUCN Red List · Encyclopedia of Life · GBIF · Catalogue of Life
