# Gram Blue

*Euchrysops cnejus*

The caterpillars form a symbiotic relationship with ants, which protect them from predators in exchange for sweet honeydew secretions.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Lycaenidae › Euchrysops
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Open grasslands, agricultural fields (especially legume crops), gardens, and scrublands.
- **Diet:** Caterpillars feed on leguminous plants (Cajanus, Vigna, Phaseolus); adults feed on floral nectar.
- **Range:** India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands
- **Size:** Wingspan of 25 to 34 mm.
- **Lifespan:** Adults live for 1 to 2 weeks; entire life cycle takes about 3 to 4 weeks.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Pesticide overuse in agriculture, habitat loss due to intensive monoculture and urbanization.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless. Enjoy watching its rapid, erratic flight from any distance. Do not attempt to catch or handle, as their delicate wings can easily lose scales, hindering flight. No medical action is needed if touched.

## About

Euchrysops cnejus , the gram blue , is a small butterfly found in India that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ca771254-d5c6-4f31-857a-4b267bc6d796
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/125551
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euchrysops cnejus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/32565016/medium.jpg (Firos AK, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.