Subfamily Lycaeninae — Coppers |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
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| Lycaena arota arota Tailed Copper |
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May - July, local mountains inland from Tehachapis to eastern SGs to Santa Anas. | Currant and Gooseberry (Ribes spp.) |
| Lycaena arota nubila 'Cloudy' Tailed Copper |
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May - July from Santa Monica Mtns to Mt Wilson; TL Griffith Park. | Currant and Gooseberry (Ribes spp.) |
| Lycaena xanthoides xanthoides Great Copper |
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May - July, coastal side of Transverse ranges; Palomar is a good spot. | Docks (Rumex spp.) |
| Lycaena gorgon gorgon Gorgon Copper |
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Local mtns such as at Malibu Creek SP, one brood April - July. | Long-stemmed Buckwheat (Eriogonum elongatum) in So. Cal. |
| Lycaena gorgon micropunctata Small Spotted Gorgon Copper |
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May to mid-July, peaking mid-June, as far south as slopes of Butterbredt Peak. | Long-stemmed Buckwheat (Eriogonum elongatum) in So |
| Lycaena heteronea clara Bright Blue Copper |
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May - early Aug, Mt Piños vicinity, Tehachapis, Piutes. | Buckwheat (Eriogonum) |
| Lycaena helloides Purplish Copper |
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Mult broods Apr - Oct, less common than formerly; Lake Cuyamaca is a good spot. | Docks, sorrels and other Polygonum spp.inc. Willow Dock |
| Lycaena hermes Hermes Copper |
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Endangered species found in a few places in San Diego Co May - July. | Redberry (Rhamnus crocea) |
Subfamily Theclinae — Hairstreaks |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
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Habrodais grunus grunus Golden Hairstreak |
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Late June to September around Oaks along Transverse Ranges. | Oaks (Quercus), esp. Canyon Live Oak |
| Atlides halesus corcorani Great Purple Hairstreak |
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Late Feb to Oct; I've seen it in various places in the deserts. | Mistletoe |
| Callophrys perplexa perplexa Perplexing Hairstreak |
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Common spring flyer in local mountains. | Buckwheat (Eriogonum), Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) and Ceanothus |
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Callophrys gryneus juniperaria (Siva) Juniper Hairstreak |
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Late March to early June, desert side of San Gabriels around Junipers. | California Juniper (Juniperus californica) |
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Callophrys gryneus nelsoni Nelson's Hairstreak |
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Higher elevations such as around Big Bear, summer. | Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrans) |
| Callophrys gryneus loki 'Loki' Juniper Hairstreak |
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Western Colorado desert, two broods, Apr - May and June - July (third Nov. brood with fall rains). | California Juniper (Juniperus californica) |
| Callophrys thornei 'Thorne's' Juniper Hairstreak |
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San Diego Co. around Otay Mesa, two broods srping and summer. | Tecate Cypress (Cupressus forbesii) |
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Callophrys spinetorum spinetorum Thicket Hairstreak |
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Two broods April - August in transverse ranges. | Dwarf mistletoe |
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Callophrys augustinus iroides Western Brown Elfin |
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Common spring - summer in local mountains. | Dodder, Ceanothus, others |
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Callophrys mossii hidakupa San Gabriel Mtns (Moss's) Elfin |
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Restricted to a few spots in San Gabriels, San Bernardinos, one spring brood. Rare. | Sedum spathulifolium |
| Callophrys eryphon Western Pine Elfin |
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Can be locally common around Big Bear, early summer. One brood. Also San Jacintos. | Lodgepole and other Pines |
| Satyrium californica californica California Hairstreak |
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One brood May - July, common in mountains. | Oak (Quercus); Buck Brush (Ceanothus cuneatus) |
| Satyrium sylvinus sylvinus Sylvan Hairstreak |
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Summer flyer, lower elev. mountains. | Willows (Salix) |
| Satyrium sylvinus desertorum 'Desert' Sylvan Hairstreak |
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East side of mountains from Tehachapis north, inc. Kelso Valley. | Willows (Salix) |
| Satyrium sylvinus dryope 'Dryope' Sylvan Hairstreak |
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June to early August; coast ranges inc. Mt Piños area, NW L.A. Co. | Willows (Salix) |
| Satyrium auretorum spadix Gold-hunter's Hairstreak |
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Greenhorns to Lagunas, May to July (one brood). | Oak (Quercus) |
| Satyrium auretorum fumosum Santa Monica Mtns Hairstreak |
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May - June, very rare in Santa Monica Mtns. | Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) |
| Satyrium tetra Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak |
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One June - July brood, transverse ranges. Good spot is along Hwy 2 in SGs around host. | Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides) |
| Satyrium saepium chalcis 'Bronzed' Hedgerow Hairstreak |
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April - July in local mountains. | Ceanothus |
| Satyrium saepium chlorophora 'Purplish' Hedgerow Hairstreak |
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Lower elev. San Diego Co. mostly May - June. | Ceanothus |
| Satyrium saepium subaridum 'Desert' Hedgerow Hairstreak |
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Reaches south to Kern Co. (Walker Pass) June - Aug. | Ceanothus greggii |
| Satyrium behrii behrii Behr's Hairstreak |
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One brood June - Aug, north slopes of S. Gabriels, S. Berns. | Waxy bitterbrush (Purshia grandulosa) |
| Strymon istapa clenchi Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak |
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Mid-August to mid-Oct., Colorado desert such as Yaqui Well. | Alkali Mallow |
| Strymon melinus pudica Gray Hairstreak |
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Common garden butterfly most of the year. | Many, inc. buckwheats, lotus, mallows. |
| Strymon avalona Avalon Scrub Hairstreak |
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Multiple broods much of the year on Catalina Island. | Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) and Silver-leaved Trefoil (Lotus argophyllum var. ornithopus |
| Ministrymon leda Leda Ministreak |
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Colorado desert, mulit-brooded April - Oct. | Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) |
Subfamily Polyommatinae - Blues |
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| Butterfly | Link to photos | Where and When | Host plant |
| Leptotes marina Marine Blue |
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March to October, common and widespread. | Commonly Plumbago auriculata in cities; also various legumes inc. Astragalus spp. |
| Brephidium exilis Western Pygmy Blue |
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Feb to Nov, widespread but often overlooked because of their tiny size. | Saltbush (Atriplex spp.) |
| Everes amyntula amyntula Western Tailed-Blue |
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Late Feb to early July, local mountains, forest edges where host grows. | Astragalus spp. |
| Celastrina echo echo Echo Blue |
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Not uncommon in mountains, March through July. | Ceanothus leucodermis, Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), others |
| Celastrina echo cinerea 'Cinereous' Echo Blue |
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April through July, eastern Mojave. | Rock Spiraea is mentioned by the Emmels (1973) |
| Glaucopsyche piasus piasus Arrowhead Blue |
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Sherman Pass in June. | Lupinus excubitus |
| Glaucopsyche piasus sagittigera 'Coastal' Arrowhead Blue |
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North side San Gabriels, mid-March - May; along Lone Pine Canyon road is good spot. | Lupinus excubitus |
| Glaucopsyche piasus nr. sagittigera Arrowhead Blue |
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Slopes north of Big Bear in SBs. | Lupinus andersonii |
| Glaucopsyche piasus gabrielina 'San Gabriel Mtns' Arrowhead Blue |
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Mt Islip, San Gabriels in June. | Lupinus elatus |
| Glaucopsyche piasus umbrosa 'Smoky' Arrowhead Blue |
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Early April to mid-May, SD mountains such as Laguna and Palomar. | Lupinus formosus |
| Glaucopsyche piasus excubita 'Bush Lupine' Arrowhead Blue |
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Tehachapis, Kelso Valley; early flyer March - May. | Usually Lupinus excubitus |
| Glaucopsyche lygdamus australis 'Southern' Silvery Blue |
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Common, coast ranges March to August. | Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) |
| Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis Palos Verdes Blue |
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Palos Verdes only, one spring brood. Endangered species. | Coast locoweed (Astragalus trichopodus lonchus) and Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) |
| Philotes sonorensis sonorensis Sonoran Blue |
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Spring; best known from Plum Canyon (Anza-Borrego) and San Gabriels (West Fork trail, Barrett Stoddard Rd.). | Dudleya lanceolata |
| Philotiella speciosa speciosa Small Blue |
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Late March to June; rare in deserts and certain mountain pops. | Punctured Bract (Oxytheca perfoliata), Trilobia (Oxytheca trilobata), Kidneyleaf buckwheat (Eriogonum reniforme) |
| Euphilotes battoides allyni El Segundo Blue |
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July - August on coastal dunes from LAX south to Palos Verdes where host is established. Endangered. | Eriogonum parvifolium |
| Euphilotes bernardino bernardino Bernardino Blue |
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Common in mountains, summer. | Eriogonum fasciculatum, E. cinereum |
| Euphilotes bernardino SM seg. Santa Monica Mountains Blue |
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Malibu coast where host grows, summer. | Eriogonum cinereum |
| Euphilotes bernardino nr garthi Point Loma Blue |
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March - April at Pt. Loma, SD Co. | Eriogonum fasciculatum? |
| Euphilotes baueri vernalis Vernal Blue (Coxey Meadow) |
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Mid-April to first week of May at Coxey Meadow, north of Big Bear. | Eriogonum kennedyi |
| Euphilotes enoptes tildeni 'Tilden's' Dotted Blue |
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Summer into fall, mountains where host grows. Mt. Piños, San Gabriels. | Eriogonum nudum |
| Euphilotes enoptes dammersi 'Dammer's' Dotted Blue - E. Mojave |
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Fall around Providence Mtns, elsewhere in E. Mojave. | Eriogonum wrightii or elongatum |
| Euphilotes enoptes dammersi 'Dammer's' Dotted Blue - Low Desert |
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Autumn, flies at Cactus Spring in Santa Rosas and elsewhere. | Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum |
| Euphilotes enoptes nr dammersi Baldwin Lake Blue |
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Multiple broods, Baldwin Lk and Arrastre Flat pebble plains. Flies most years. | Eriogonum kennedyi |
| Euphilotes enoptes nr dammersi Arrastre Creek Blue |
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Single spring brood; doesn't fly most years; east of Big Bear nr Arrastre Creek. Extremely rare. | Eriogonum davidsoni |
| Euphilotes enoptes cryptorufes 'Cryptorufes' Dotted Blue |
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May - June, very rare, San Jacintos, Santa Rosas. | Eriogonum davidsoni |
| Euphilotes mojave mojave Mojave Blue |
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Single brood April - May; north side of San Gabriels and San Berns. into Joshua Tree. | Eriogonum pusillum, reniforme, nudum |
| Euphilotes pallescens elvirae 'Elvira' Pallid Blue |
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August into fall in Mojave from Pearblossom region up into Kern Co. | Eriogonum plumatella and microthecum |
| Hemiargus ceraunus gyas 'Edward's' Ceraunus Blue |
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March to October, mostly deserts and lowlands. | Several inc. Honey Mesquite and Locoweeds |
| Echinargus isola alce Reakirt's Blue |
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April to October, desert from Joshua Tree to Anza-Borrego. | Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Screwbean Mesquite (P. pubescens), Catclaw (Acacia greggii) |
| Plebejus melissa paradoxa 'Orange-Margined' Melissa Blue |
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April to Oct, not difficult to find around Lake Cuyamaca region. | Spanish Lotus (Lotus purshianus) at this location; other Pea family plants elsewhere |
| Plebejus saepiolus hilda 'Hilda' Greenish Blue |
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Summer flyer in local mountain meadows. | Cow's Clover (Trifolium wormskioldii), Longstalk Clover (T. longipes), Carpet Clover (T. monanthum) |
| Plebejus saepiolus aehaja Greenish Blue |
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Greenhorns, Piutes in June and July. | Clovers |
| Plebejus saepiolus aureolus San Gabriel Mtns Blue (extinct?) |
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Early June to late July; development of Mtn. High ski resort most likely destroyed its habitat. | Cow's Clover (Trifolium wormskioldii) |
| Plebejus emigdionis San Emigdio Blue |
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Scattered sites, many in Kern Co., late April through summer dep. on rainfall. | Saltbush (Atriplex canescens) in association with ant and scale insect |
| Plebejus icarioides evius 'Evius' Boisduval's Blue |
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Late April to July, transverse ranges. | Lupines inc. excubitus |
| Plebejus icarioides eosierra Eastern Sierra Blue |
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April to July, Kern Co. | Lupinus excubitus |
| Plebejus icarioides santana Trabuco Blue |
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Late April - mid-June at Yaegar Mesa, Trabuco Cyn. | Lupinus excubitus |
| Plebejus acmon acmon Acmon Blue |
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Multi-brooded Spring to Fall, mountains. | Many, inc. species of Lotus, Eriogonum and Astragalus |
| Plebejus lupini monticola 'Clemence's' Lupine Blue |
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One brood April - July, coastal and inland ranges. | Usually California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) |
| Plebejus lupini chlorina 'Green' Lupine Blue |
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Late June to third week of July, Tehachapis, Mt Piños. | Eriogonum umbellatum |
| Plebejus neurona Veined Blue |
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Mt Piños is a good spot, summer. | Eriogonum wrightii var subscaposum and E. kennedyi |