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Summer Azures eating bird poo
Hi again,
So I found these beauties today feasting on bird poo! I’ve known that butterflies would visit various mammal poo but had no idea they would consider bird poo for a meal. That’s so acidic! (Don’t ask me how I know.. Suffice it to say, never look up with your mouth agape when bird watching! …Oh!… too many bad flash backs, must change the subject now.) I was wondering if your food chain page could include insects eating something besides other insects as the food chain generally starts with something eating from either plants (grown with energy from the sun) or from waste products and detritus (dead stuff). This photo would fall into the 2nd category of course. When they took flight they had the most amazing flash of purple-blue on the top side of their wings. Based on extensive searching thru the Bugguide.com site, they appear to be Summer Azures. Have a great day!
Michelle Nash
Lily Lake, IL

Hi Michelle,
We were familiar with Spring Azures, but not with Summer Azures, so we went to Bugguide. There we found Celastrina neglecta, the Summer Azure. We also found information to help identify the eight species in the genus. Thank you for sending in such a fascinating series of photos. Though we are intrigued by your suggestion regarding the Food Chain, for now that page is devoted to predators and prey.

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