Observation date: July 18, 2024
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: I thought I had a Clemence or an Acmon until I inspected the photos and saw the orange pattern on the inner forewings. I don't think there's any other possibility, even though I wasn't able to get a clear shot of the outer wing. (The attempt was made.) The area had a lot of other Blue species, including Acmon, Marine, and Ceraunus. The specific location was trailside grasses and sage, with overgrowing Lemonadeberry and Poison Oak. It was a riparian-adjacent area of the park, with grassy areas, stands of Live Oak, Sycamore, and chaparral plants. Many, many Sisters, Mourning Cloaks and Monarchs. A Gulf Fritillary showed up nearby, and of course Lorquin's Admirals.
Weather was warm, clear to filmy slies and a small breeze.
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: July 21, 2024
Coordinator notes: Actually, it is not an Orange-Margined Blue (P. melissa), it could be an acmon, a monticola or a chlorina, all 3 have females that can have orange on the forewings, I have several examples of that in my collection. An underside photo would shed light on which of those 3 it could be. Female melissa have more well developed orange lunules up the forewings. If you have underside photos, send them.-Ken Davenport I am choosing to call this an acmon because acmon can use Eriogonum fasciculatum as a host and there are no confirmed records for Plebejus chlorina in San Diego Couinty. But I think it probably does occur there but is as yet unrecognized. The bold black spotting below is charactoristic of monticola and chlorina, but this phenotype is not usually seen with monticola which tends to have a lot of blue on the upperside. To actually add chlorina to the San Diego County faunal list, we need to collect some and test the DNA. Butterfly photography has its limits....I personally have several acmon in my collection that resembles your individual with orange up the forewings and chlorina that are similar-Ken Davenport....ps: monticola and chlorina occasionally use the others host plants for nectar.
