On a faded green leaf, a tiny creature rested quietly at the tip of the leaf. It was a tiny grass blue butterfly, known in Latin as Zizula hylax. It's a simple-looking butterfly from the Lycaenidae family.
It sat quietly on the tip of the leaf, making no sound, let alone asking for attention. But that's precisely what makes it so fascinating to observe. Its tiny size, in particular, makes photographing it a challenge. A truly addicted challenge.
Upon closer inspection, this butterfly's appearance is no less captivating than that of larger butterfly. Perhaps because it doesn't often visit colorful flower gardens, many people are unfamiliar with it.
As far as I've observed, I've never once encountered this butterfly in an ornamental flower garden. It loves flowers, but only those found in the wild, not cultivated ones. Besides wildflowers, it also enjoys fresh grass.
Based on my direct observations, this butterfly isn't averse to ornamental flowers. However, it can't fly far or high. Its small body is easily carried away by the wind. Its flight distance is very short, often just moving between plants. The furthest I've seen it fly is about one meter.
| Latin name | Zizula hylax |
|---|---|
| Observation date | 17 Agt, 2025 |
| Camera used | realme 7 Pro |
| Photographers | @reachdreams |
| Location | Aceh, Indonesia |
| Link to original community |
|---|
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/306900804
| Latitude | Longitude | Map |
|---|---|---|
| 4.695135 | 96.7493993 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.695135&mlon=96.7493993 |
