Favoritos de drewready

Dark, unusually-sized butterfly caught my eye on the ridge trail, larger than blues or most hairstreaks, smaller than cabbage white. Very fast, hard to follow flight. Finally landed, and I was able to see the dark gray background color to wings and long, metallic blue streak on the wing, plus white and red dots around the blackish thorax. Also noted oddly-shaped tail extensions. Completely unique local butterfly. Appeared to be hilltopping with painted lady and a blue sp., buzzing around lone Rhus ovata high on ridge trail.

Landed on the path briefly, drawing our blank consternated stares for a good few seconds, before vanishing into riparian habitat. Flight style clearly Lycaenid but while resting clearly larger and darker than our other species. The characteristic "not-purple blue" iridescence was clear in flight.