Boisduval's Blue
Plebejus icarioides (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male lilac-blue with dark borders. Female may be brown, or blue with wide dark borders. Below, black or white postmedian spots are larger on forewing than on hindwing.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during the day near host plants for females. Eggs are laid on new growth of host plants. Caterpillars feed first on leaves, then flowers and seedpods. Caterpillars produce a sugary secretion which is eaten by the ants that protect them. Second-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: April-August depending on location.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various lupine species (Lupinus) in the pea family.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including Eriogonum and various composites.
Habitat: Forest clearings and edges, prairie, sagebrush, chaparral, coastal dunes, fields.
Range: British Columbia east to the western edge of the Great Plains, south to New Mexico, Arizona, southern California, and Baja California.
Conservation: The Mission Blue, subspecies missionensis, is endangered in California. Loss of native grassland habitat and invasion of woody species has restricted the butterfly to 4 areas on the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula. The largest remaining population is protected in San Bruno Mountain County Park, where monitoring of the butterfly population and control of invasive species continues. Plebeius icarioides missionensis has The Nature Conservancy rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: Maintain or improve habitat and ensure adequate host and nectar plants for all rare populations.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1121 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 01, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Klickitat County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: Twitcherette
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2017
Submitted by: alchem30
Region:
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: May 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Beaverhead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Apr 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 06, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Madison County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 19, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 17, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 17, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 17, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2022
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 01, 2023
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 01, 2023
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 20, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: Kerry Turley
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: amandarichael
Region: Blaine County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2022
Submitted by: Thom Garrett
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Beaverhead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
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