Observation date: September 27, 2023
Submitted by: Lara Bryan
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: It was late afternoon. I only had a chance to take one picture and a bee scared it off. It landed on my Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' flower. The butterfly was small. I know this is a rare and endangered butterfly and it should not be in SD so question what it really is. My FB bug group felt it was a Karner blue. BugGuide net felt another likely suspect is... Lycaena hyllus - Bronze Copper (However, no orange band near forewing margin.) Can you please identify it?
Status: Resident
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: October 02, 2023
Coordinator notes: ssp. melissa. Near the edge of it's range. ssp. karner is an isolated eastern segregate found mostly east of the Mississippi River.
