Hobbies And Interests
Proximity
Because the Smith's blue butterfly's wings span less than 1 inch, the adults do not travel more than 200 feet from the buckwheat plant that held their chrysalis. Wind and air temperature further limit the distances the Smith's blue butterflies can travel. As a result, the butterflies lay their eggs on the same plant they hatched on. The larvae do not leave the plant to form their chrysalises unless they have fallen to the ground.
Camouflage
Smith's blue butterflies only live on two buckwheat plants: Coast buckwheat and Seacliff buckwheat. Caterpillars bear tan, pink and white patterns that blend them into the buckwheat flowers that they hide among and eat. The chrysalis may be attached to the branches at first, but they all fall to the ground shortly after formation. The dirt and the buckwheat plant cover the chrysalis for the 47 weeks that the Smith's blue butterfly remains in that stage. Adult butterflies coloration also blends them into the flowers where they eat.
Mouth
With entire colonies living on so few plants, the Smith's blue butterfly's mouth has adapted to provide means of eating the most food available. Larval mouths chew on flowers and seeds within the flowers. Adult butterflies bear a straw-like tube that they unfurl to drink nectar from the base of the flowers. The length of this proboscis matches the depth of the flower, allowing butterflies to maximize the food intake per flower. Concurrently, the butterflies cross-pollinate the flowers of various buckwheat plants.
Mating
After emerging from the chrysalis, the adult Smith's blue butterfly only lives one week. Therefore, the butterflies must evade predators and bad weather to find a mate and lay eggs when they only move during the day. The first chrysalises open when the first flowers bloom on the buckwheat plants, providing a safe place for the eggs. Because the male butterflies emerge up to one week before the first female butterflies, the males rely on pheromones to quickly locate an available female.