Which butterfly family includes blues, coppers, and hairstreaks?

Lycaenidae is the butterfly family that includes blues, coppers, and hairstreaks.

Lycaenidae is one of the largest butterfly families, with thousands of species distributed across much of the world. Its members are often small, and many have brilliant blue, copper, orange, or brown coloration. The family’s common groups include the blues, coppers, hairstreaks, and harvesters.

Several lycaenid caterpillars have unusual relationships with ants. Some produce sugary secretions that ants consume, while the ants may protect the caterpillars from predators and parasitoids. In some species, ants also influence where caterpillars develop or provide shelter.

Lycaenidae should not be confused with Nymphalidae, the family containing monarchs and painted ladies, or Pieridae, which includes cabbage whites and sulphurs. Classification details can vary among taxonomic sources, but blues, coppers, and hairstreaks are conventionally grouped within Lycaenidae.