San Mateo State Park, Orange County, CA. 2-24-12. © Peter J. Bryant

Silvery Blue

Glaucopsyche lygdamus australis

Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae

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San Mateo State Park, Orange County, CA. 2-24-12. © Peter J. Bryant

© Peter J. Bryant.

© Peter J. Bryant

Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 3-16-07. © Ron Hemberger

Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 3-16-07. © Ron Hemberger
 

Characteristics: Ventral wing with light tan background color and rounded black spots which are outlined in white. One vertical row of black spots on ventral forewing. Forewing length: 13-16 mm.

Similar Species: Plebejus icarioides ssp. is quite similar in appearance. The males of icarioides from Orange County, however, are nearly devoid of black spots on the ventral forewing. In addition, the background color of the icarioides ventral wing is off-white, unlike australis, which exhibits a light brown cast.

Habitats, Behavior: This butterfly usually flies in the vicinity of its larval foodplant, which grows abundantly in grazed or other semi-disturbed areas (as well as in recently burned areas, road cuts, and canyon slopes). Adults were found around Lupinus excubitus (lupine) blossoms along with Plebejus icarioides at Yaeger Mesa.

Distribution: Our spotty records are from the foothills of Orange County. The butterfly was relatively common at the Laguna Lakes on March 28, 1974. It has been captured at Villa Park Dam, closely associated with Lotus scoparius (Deerweed). Recent and old records exist for Upper Newport Bay, a coastal locality. The Southern Blue evidently occurs throughout the coastal foothills and in the canyons (lower elevations) of the Santa Ana Mountains. It probably does not occur above 3000-3200 feet in Orange County.

Flight Period: One brood, flying from February into April. In some years, it flies in May and perhaps into June. The June records from the San Joaquin Hills might have been mislabeled, or may represent an extended flight period so often found in coastal butterfly populations (Langston, 1974). March and April always seems to be the months of peak flight.

Larval Foodplant: Deerweed (Lotus scoparius)

From Orsak, L. J. (1977). The Butterflies of Orange County, California. Center for Pathobiology Miscellaneous Publication #3. University of California Press, New York. 349pp.

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