Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon (Cramer, 1780)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 -3.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and perch all day but are most active from midafternoon until dusk. Eggs are laid on flower buds. Caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits and are tended by ants. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Many broods from January-October along the Gulf Coast; progressively shorter flights northward; May-August in Canada.
Caterpillar Hosts: Flowers of a variety of woody shrubs and occasionally herbs including dogwood (Cornus florida), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), meadowsweet (Spiraea salicifolia), and Collinsia.
Adult Food: Flower nectar from dogbane, privet, New Jersey tea, blackberry, common milkweed, and many others.
Habitat: Openings and edges of deciduous woods, old fields, wooded freshwater marshes and swamps.
Range: Alaska and Canada south of the tundra through most of the United States except the Texas coast, southern plains, and peninsular Florida; south in the mountains to Columbia.
Conservation: This species comprises a complex of 4-5 separate species, some of which may be of conservation concern.
NCGR:
Management Needs: None reported. Note: In addition to the Appalachian Azure, Atlantic Holly Azure, Dusky Azure, and Hops Azure, this "species" is in reality still a complex of additional species whose identity is under current research. At present it is not possible to separate all of the records for these species into individual species maps. We look forward to doing this in the future.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Celastrina ladon
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 6669 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 02, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 09, 2024
Observation date: May 05, 2022
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: Harry Pavulaan
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Apr 17, 2023
Submitted by: AV-Photo1
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: TLE613
Region: Woodford County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
Observation date: Feb 22, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: bshettler
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: May 15, 2023
Submitted by: kzmmrmn
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 10, 2023
Observation date: May 07, 2023
Submitted by: hollyhoitink
Region: Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 10, 2023
Observation date: Apr 28, 2023
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 30, 2023
Observation date: Apr 20, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 27, 2023
Observation date: Apr 01, 2023
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Madison County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
Observation date: Apr 09, 2023
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 19, 2023
Observation date: Mar 26, 2023
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 01, 2023
Observation date: Mar 06, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 29, 2023
Observation date: Mar 16, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 26, 2023
Observation date: Mar 23, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 24, 2023
Observation date: Mar 06, 2023
Submitted by: Ohiyo
Region: Lawrence County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 07, 2023
Observation date: Mar 06, 2023
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Mar 06, 2023
Observation date: Feb 20, 2023
Submitted by: NNing
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 21, 2023
Observation date: Feb 18, 2023
Submitted by: Grismo
Region: Carroll County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Feb 20, 2023
Observation date: Feb 10, 2023
Submitted by: J. Trapnell
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: Mar 17, 2016
Submitted by: tomsgirl7
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 02, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
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