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The Blues (May be distinguished)

The Blues may be distinguished from the other gossamer-winged butterflies by the slender form of the body and the blue color of the upper surface of the wings. This is a rather difficult group to study owing to the fact that in several cases a single species exists under two or more distinct forms, and also that the two sexes of the same species may differ greatly. It often happens that two individuals of the same sex but of different species resemble each other more closely in the coloring of the upper surface than do the two sexes of either of the species. In each of our Eastern species the upper surface of the wings of the female is much darker than that of the male.

Fifty North American species have been described; but most of these occur only in the far West. Four species occur in the East; these can be separated as follows:

A. Hind wings without tails.

B. Eyes hairy.

C. Lower surface of the wings slate brown. (N. lygda-