Miami Blue

[Leptraps at aol.com]

Anne:

The female Miami Blue oviposits on the flowers of balloon vine, as the 
flowers develops into pods, the larva bore into the pod and feed on the 
fruit. The pod has four cavities/compartments, when the larva has consumed 
the fruit/seed in one compartment, it eats a hole through the compartment 
wall, consumes the fruit/seed, etc., etc. In less than 18 days, it pupates 
inside the pod. Less than a week after pupation, the pod matures, dries out 
and is broken apart by the wind, to scatter seeds, AND, this will allow the 
pupae to escape the pod.

I have never seen ants associated with the Miami Blue.

Several other lycaenids feed on the balloon vines, Strymon melinus. 
Chlorostrymon simaethis, and Styrmon columella.

Cheers,



Leroy C. Koehn
202 Redding Road
Georgetown, Kentucky
USA          40324-2622
Tele.: 502-570-9123
Cell: 502-803-5422
E-mail: Leptraps at aol.com

"Let's get among them"
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