Riodinidae

The Metal-marks are a dramatically colored and patterned, and consist of at least 1250 species. Most of these small butterflies are Neotropical in distribution, and only one species ranges into central California. Like the Gossamer-wings, many metal-marks are myrmecophilous.

Apodemia mormo

A very local, colonial species found from sea level to 7000' in a variety of mostly open, rocky habitats. Its flight is very distinctive - it wheels in circles and often does figure-eights, and is very difficult to track with the eye - and it is very "nervous" on flowers, keeping the wings in constant motion. The compound eyes are a remarkable shade of pea green. Females are conspicuously larger than males, with much broader wings; the male forewing is sharply angled at the apex.