Yep. I’d say the same is like the Grey Hairstreak, so on the bigger side of the spectrum, rather than the smaller ones. But these guys were everywhere in Lijiang, and they are very patient with posing for me. I love everything about these guys!
I think it will be one of my new favorites as well, what beautiful colorations it has. Quit a beautiful images and very nice post as well. Thank you for sharing, Your friend Michael :)
Wow, that is beautiful. I’m not surprised it is your new favourite. The underside is lovely with the blue marks above and below the black, but the top side is amazing.
I agree Nick. I’ve not been able to confirm which is the male and which the female. In the US, as a general rule, the male would be the more flamboyant, but in Asia, that has not been true. Hopefully, I’ll find a good reference at some point.
The male is the one with the plain upper wings and the female has the orange with violet highlights on the upper forewing. A fresh male will have an violet sheen in sunlight and at the right angle. Are you still in this part of China?
Thanks Chris! I actually have more photos of this guy from this summer, and I should post some of those along with the male/female ids. Yes, we still live in Lijiang, which is where I photographed these.
my butterfly collection 
Is he about the size of the hairstreak?
Yep. I’d say the same is like the Grey Hairstreak, so on the bigger side of the spectrum, rather than the smaller ones. But these guys were everywhere in Lijiang, and they are very patient with posing for me. I love everything about these guys!
Stunning!
Thanks Anders! I think so too.
I think it will be one of my new favorites as well, what beautiful colorations it has. Quit a beautiful images and very nice post as well. Thank you for sharing, Your friend Michael :)
Thanks Michael! I’m so glad someone else likes it so much too. It’s just such a little gem.
Exquisite butterfly.
Jet, I think Exquisite is the perfect word to discribe Helleia li!
Wow, that is beautiful. I’m not surprised it is your new favourite. The underside is lovely with the blue marks above and below the black, but the top side is amazing.
I agree Nick. I’ve not been able to confirm which is the male and which the female. In the US, as a general rule, the male would be the more flamboyant, but in Asia, that has not been true. Hopefully, I’ll find a good reference at some point.
The male is the one with the plain upper wings and the female has the orange with violet highlights on the upper forewing. A fresh male will have an violet sheen in sunlight and at the right angle. Are you still in this part of China?
Thanks Chris! I actually have more photos of this guy from this summer, and I should post some of those along with the male/female ids. Yes, we still live in Lijiang, which is where I photographed these.