Diet

• The caterpillars feed on plants in the pea family (Fabaceae)

• Adults take nectar from small flowers and may also visit the flowers of their larval host plants.

Range

• Ministrymon clytie ranges from southern Texas and northern Mexico south through Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica. It is also known from southern Arizona.

• It occurs in Guerrero and is found in the Zihua area.

• The species is fairly widespread in Mexico, although it is generally encountered locally rather than being abundant everywhere.

Habitat

• The Clytie Ministreak inhabits tropical forest openings, subtropical thornscrub, woodland edges and other relatively open habitats.

• It is particularly associated with areas containing Pithecellobium and other suitable host plants.

• Adults are small and easily overlooked as they perch among foliage or move through sunny openings.

Description

• This is a very small hairstreak, with a wingspan of only about 19–22 mm. The upper surface is silvery blue, with darker margins and a small tail on each hindwing.

• The underside is pale grey, with a distinctive orange median dash on the forewing and two rows of orange dashes crossing the hindwing.

• The combination of the tiny size, silvery-blue upper surface, pale underside and orange markings makes it relatively distinctive among the small Ministrymon hairstreaks.

• The hindwing tails are short but conspicuous when viewed from above.