This butterfly has blue wings but the top of the wings is back.Īs opposed to the Red-spotted Admiral, the Pipevine Swallowtail is one of the butterflies where wings are dominantly black and vivid blue on the bottom.Ĭoloring differences between the sexes exist. The Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is a species somewhat similar to the Red-spotted Admiral. Pipevine Swallowtail Pipevine Swallowtail This species is common in the US with a significant presence in a state such as Florida, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The species might imply these butterflies have red coloring, but they only show small orange dots at the bottom of the wings. The top part of the wings is black turning into a gradient blue where the dark blue is close to the top of the wings and the light blue is seen at the bottom of the wings.ĭark blue margins are also seen on the bottom of the wings. It has a wing spread of up to 3.5 inches as an adult which exhibits its multiple shades of blue. The Red-spotted Admiral (Limenitis arthemis) is one of the common blue butterflies. Here are the most common species of butterflies that are blue in North America.ġ. Varying in size, these butterflies can have a wingspan between 0.83 inches and 5.3 inches. The relationship is also beneficial to ants that feed on blue butterfly larvae honeydew. This is a trait that allows their larvae to be protected by ants against predators. Some blue butterflies live in mutuality with ants. Known as sexual dimorphism, this is a characteristic of many butterflies. Males are mostly blue while females can have a completely different color. They can also be found all around the world, particularly in Central and South America, Asia, and Europe.īlue butterflies typically exhibit major color differences between genders. Many blue butterflies in the US prefer coastal habitats. They can be found in woodlands at low and high altitudes. Dark blue, light blue, and violet-blue are just some of the blue nuances North American butterflies come in.īlue butterflies can live in some of the most remote areas as well as in populated regions. They are seen in the Eastern, Southern, and Western parts of the country.īlue butterflies come in various shades. Insufficient nectar sources may limit Fender's Blue population size.Blue butterflies are common in North America. Nectar species to support Fender's Blue include narrowleaf onion (Allium amplectens), Tolmie startulip (Calochortus tolmiei), common camas (Camassia quamash), dwarf checkermallow (Sidalcea virgata), and Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum), among others. The larvae grow and develop quickly, pupate, and emerge as butterflies in early May.Īdult butterflies feed on nectar (sugary fluid) produced by certain flower species. Emerging larvae then feed on young lupine leaves and inflorescences. The larvae feed for a few weeks, then go into diapause (similar to dormancy) at the base of the plant until the following February or March. Secondary host plants include sickle-keeled lupine (Lupinus albicaulis) and spur lupine (Lupinus arbustus).Īdult butterflies lay their eggs on lupine leaves in May and June, and larvae (caterpillars) hatch out a few weeks later. Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii) is the primary larval host plant for Fender's Blue butterfly. Two critical elements of Fender's Blue butterfly habitat are larval host plants and nectar plant species. Fender's Blue is currently found in five counties in Oregon: Linn, Lane, Benton, Yamhill, and Polk County. This sub-species occurs in upland prairie or wet prairie habitats. The underside of both gender’s wings are creamy tan with two rows of black spots and a white border. Upper wings are blue in males, and brown in females. Fender's Blue is a small butterfly with an approximately 1 inch wingspan. Descriptionįender's Blue butterfly is a member of the Lycaenidae family, and is in the Polyommatinae (blue butterfly) sub-family. Fender's Blue was actually thought to be extinct from about 1940 until the late 1980s, when biologists discovered a few remaining populations on prairie remnants in the Willamette Valley. Fender's Blue butterfly was listed as an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2000.
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