What they do
Adults sip nectar and can help pollinate flowers as they travel between blooms.
Pollinator profile
Blues, coppers & hairstreaks
Family Lycaenidae
They help move pollen between flowers while feeding on nectar, and their caterpillars are part of local food webs and plant communities.
Category
Butterflies
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Lycaenidae
Also Known As
Lycaenidae, blue butterfly, copper butterfly, hairstreak
Intro
Overview
Blues, coppers, and hairstreaks are a large family of mostly small butterflies (Lycaenidae) known for shimmering blues, warm copper tones, and fine “hair-like” tails on some species. As adults, they often visit flowers for nectar and can contribute to pollination as they move from bloom to bloom. This page helps you recognize them, understand what they need through the seasons, and choose practical ways to support them at home, at school, or in your neighbourhood.
At a glance
Quick Facts
Food
Asters/goldenrods, clovers, native shrubs, spring blossoms
Habitat
Host plants for caterpillars, leaf litter, tall grasses, shrubby edges
Seasonality
Warm, bright parts of the day, often mid- to late-season in many regions
Where to look
Sunny edges, meadows, gardens, open woodlands, trailsides
Key takeaways
If you remember only three things
A quick summary you can scan in under 10 seconds.
What they need
A steady sequence of blooms plus the right host plants for caterpillars and some “messy” natural shelter.
One best action
Plant a small patch (or even a pot) with region-native flowers and at least one suitable host plant type.
Why it matters
Why they matter
Blues, coppers, and hairstreaks are a diverse butterfly group that can be common in everyday green spaces when the right plants are present. Because many are small and closely tied to specific habitats or host plants, they can be good “signal species” for how healthy and connected local habitat is.
Key Impacts
What this pollinator supports
- They contribute to pollination by visiting many small, open flowers and moving pollen as they feed.
- They support a wide range of plants, especially low-growing wildflowers and flowering shrubs (varies by region).
- Their caterpillars help cycle plant energy into the food web, feeding birds, insects, and other wildlife.
- Many use habitat edges (where meadow meets shrubs or woodland), making them relevant to gardens, schoolyards, and parks.
- Some have close ecological relationships with ants during the caterpillar stage (varies by species).
Identification
Identification guide
This subgroup includes many small butterflies, so noticing size, wing colour, and where they land is often more useful than trying to memorize one pattern. A quick photo of the upper and underside of the wings can make identification much easier.
1
Small to medium butterflies; many look "delicate" compared with larger butterflies.
2
Blues may show bright blue or violet on the upper wings (often more visible in males), with patterned undersides.
3
Coppers often show orange-copper tones with dark spotting.
4
Hairstreaks often have thin tail-like extensions on the hindwings and fine lines on the underside.
Range and habitat
Where they live
Members of the family Lycaenidae are found across many parts of the world, including Canada, and occur in a wide range of landscapes. What matters most is having sun, flowers for nectar, and the right host plants for caterpillars nearby.
Common Habitats
- Meadows and grasslands with wildflowers
- Sunny woodland edges and open woodlands
- Shrublands and hedgerows
- Trailsides, hydro corridors, and other open "edge" spaces
- Gardens with native flowers and low-growing plants
Life cycle
Life cycle and seasonality
Like other butterflies, blues, coppers, and hairstreaks develop through egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult stages, and their timing depends on local climate and species. Adults may appear in one or more waves through the warmer months, especially when nectar and host plants are available.
Spring / Early Season
Adults may emerge as early blooms open; some species use spring-flowering shrubs or early wildflowers. Eggs are laid on or near host plants; early caterpillars begin feeding.
Summer / Mid-Season
Many adults nectar frequently and mate; caterpillars feed and grow on host plants. Chrysalises may be found in sheltered spots near the ground or on vegetation (varies by species).
Late Season
Late-blooming flowers can fuel adults and support final broods where they occur. Some species prepare to overwinter as eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalises (varies by species).
Winter / Dry Season
Overwintering stages rely on stable shelter such as leaf litter, stems, and protected ground-level habitat.
Late-season flowers and seasonal shelter matter because they help adults refuel and help immature stages survive into the next year.
Gardening guide
How to support in your garden
Provide the right food and habitat to help this pollinator thrive.
Plant these flowers
Nectar is a sugary liquid that adult butterflies drink for energy, and pollen is the powdery material plants use for reproduction that can be moved between flowers as butterflies feed. Blues, coppers, and hairstreaks often visit small, clustered blooms and sunny, low-growing flowers, but they can use many flower types when available.
Early season
- Spring-flowering native shrubs (e.g., willows and other early-blooming shrubs)
- Early woodland wildflowers (region-dependent)
- Dandelion-type flowers (common early nectar sources; prioritize natives where possible)
Mid-season
- Clovers and other pea-family flowers (where appropriate and non-invasive locally)
- Milkweeds (as nectar sources)
- Native meadow wildflowers (mixed plantings)
Late season
- Asters
- Goldenrods
- Late-blooming native meadow flowers (region-dependent)
Best plant choices depend on your region; native plants are usually the best starting point.
Shelter and nesting
These butterflies don’t build nests, but they do need safe places for eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, and adults to rest out of wind and heavy rain. Many rely on ground-level structure—stems, leaf litter, and patches of taller vegetation—especially outside peak bloom times.
Leave some leaf litter and plant stems standing through the colder months where safe to do so.
Keep a "soft edge" between lawn and garden with taller grasses or native groundcovers.
Plant in clusters to create sheltered pockets (flowers + host plants + a bit of cover).
Avoid over-mulching every bare spot; some species use ground-level microhabitats.
Include a mix of heights: low flowers, mid-height wildflowers, and a few shrubs.
Threats to avoid
Blues, coppers, and hairstreaks can be sensitive to small changes in habitat quality because many depend on specific host plants and seasonal nectar. The biggest risks usually come from losing connected habitat and from chemicals that reduce insects and flowers.
Habitat loss and fragmentation (small patches become isolated, reducing breeding success).
Pesticides, including systemic pesticides (gets inside the plant), which can contaminate nectar and leaves.
Bloom gaps, especially landscapes with only spring flowers and little mid/late-season nectar.
Loss of host plants due to mowing, "weed-free" landscaping, or removal of native shrubs.
Climate stress (heat, drought, unusual seasonal timing) that can disrupt emergence and flowering.
Take action
How to help
Helping this subgroup is mostly about continuity: continuous blooms, continuous habitat structure, and continuous access to host plants. Even small plantings can matter when they add up across a neighbourhood.
Plant for the whole season: include early, mid, and late-blooming native flowers, plus a few native shrubs if space allows.
Add host plants on purpose: include at least one locally appropriate host plant type (and protect it from mowing).
Skip pesticides: avoid insecticides and "weed-and-feed" products; choose hand-weeding and targeted, non-chemical options when possible.
Keep some habitat "messy": leave a corner with stems, leaf litter, and taller grasses for life-stage shelter.
Student challenge
Do a 10-minute "edge survey" at school—walk the boundary where lawn meets shrubs or garden beds, count butterfly visits to flowers, and note where host plants could be added.
Examples
Featured species
Examples from this subgroup. Status varies by region.
Cupido comyntas
Eastern Tailed-Blue
This small blue is a familiar example of how tiny butterflies can thrive in everyday green spaces when nectar and host plants are present. It can encourage people to look closer at low flowers and meadow edges.
Lycaena phlaeas
American Copper
Coppers highlight the value of sunny, open habitat with continuous blooms. Their warm orange tones also make them a great “gateway” butterfly for new observers.
Strymon melinus
Gray Hairstreak
Hairstreaks show how important shrubs and “edge habitat” can be for butterflies. Their fine lines and small tails are also a useful reminder that close observation reveals hidden biodiversity.
Definitions
Glossary
Nectar: A sugary liquid made by flowers that fuels many adult pollinators.
Pollen: Powder produced by flowers that contains plant reproductive cells and can be carried between blooms.
Habitat: The natural “home” area that provides food, shelter, and space to reproduce.
Native: A species that occurs naturally in a region without being introduced by people.
Invasive: A non-native species that spreads aggressively and can harm local ecosystems.
Systemic pesticide: A pesticide that gets inside the plant, potentially affecting nectar, pollen, and leaves.
Host plant: The plant a caterpillar eats; required for butterflies to reproduce.
Bloom gap: A period when few flowers are blooming, leaving pollinators without food.
Fragmentation: When habitat is broken into smaller, isolated patches that are harder for wildlife to use.
Pollen: Powder produced by flowers that contains plant reproductive cells and can be carried between blooms.
Habitat: The natural “home” area that provides food, shelter, and space to reproduce.
Native: A species that occurs naturally in a region without being introduced by people.
Invasive: A non-native species that spreads aggressively and can harm local ecosystems.
Systemic pesticide: A pesticide that gets inside the plant, potentially affecting nectar, pollen, and leaves.
Host plant: The plant a caterpillar eats; required for butterflies to reproduce.
Bloom gap: A period when few flowers are blooming, leaving pollinators without food.
Fragmentation: When habitat is broken into smaller, isolated patches that are harder for wildlife to use.
What You Can Do
Make a difference for native habitats.
Turn this knowledge into action. Whether you plant a single pot or a whole garden, you are building a vital bridge for local biodiversity.
Join the movement to restore our shared habitats.