The larvae of these small butterflies (wingspan about 25 mm) feed on vetches. This is a male, the dorsal side of the wings is a dull grayish blue in the females.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWhUBgehi8rY0GNGlFnG8YxgECMWpV77gLLU0VvJn9RVtKWSPQKZZYuFx_ofORId93qrDa9MkaEChmOfp4TcfJBm623TJlAuLLXYebDUzs28UnSYMieF4ozM938-5kUW_Xifopok_4l9x/s400/glaucopsyche_lygdamus_dorsal.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlXzrIai7uJmQ0icbmbJHBfrm7jkMeaoLvPcjN6qFkj4hfdN9OFKANSu1cv9YB2M7zdFyFtONU-OkNjf463iBYnAK0YGUdb9Yb53r0Nm0uh_6NXmoup8sZ_cUDunetZxOuJpkM-j4uEIm/s400/glaucopsyche_lygdamus_ventral.jpg)
Perhaps this quote from the Swiss naturalist Louis Agassiz summarizes the following pages and images best:
"I spent the summer traveling; I got halfway across my back yard."