Gossamer winged butterflies, family Lycaenidae, are the second largest family of butterflies after Nymphalidae. There are over 6,000 species in the world with over 100 species in North America. Characteristics of Gossamer Winged Butterflies Adults are small, usually under 5 cm, brightly colored, and often metallic. Many species will have tails on the hindwing. The larvae are flattened and slug-like and have a gland that releases a sugary substance similar to honeydew that is used to “bribe” ants for protection. Lycaenindae is split into 7 subfamiles, 3 of… Read More →