Diet

• Adults presumably obtain nutrients from flowers and other plant resources, but detailed observations of their feeding behaviour are scarce.

Range

• Ipidecla miadora is a Mexican species with a relatively restricted distribution in western and southern Mexico.

• Its type locality is in Guerrero, and the species is particularly associated with the Pacific-slope tropical forests of Mexico.

• It occurs in the Zihua area, where it is associated with tropical woodland and forest-edge habitat.

Habitat

• The species appears to favour tropical and subtropical woodland, particularly forest edges, clearings and areas with relatively dense shrub and tree growth.

• It is likely to spend much of its time in the foliage of trees and shrubs, where its subdued coloration provides effective camouflage.

Description

• Ipidecla miadora is a very small hairstreak, with a wingspan of approximately 22 mm.

• The upper surface is greyish-black to dark brown, with the basal half of the forewings and much of the hindwings washed with a subdued blue-grey metallic sheen.

• The underside is bluish-grey, with dark veins on the hindwings. Distinctive bright orange patches occur near the bases of the hindwings and forewings.

• The combination of a dark, blue-grey metallic upper surface and orange basal markings underneath makes it quite distinctive among the small hairstreaks of western Mexico.