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 241 - 264 of 6670 verified sightings
Observation date: May 15, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Crawford County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 16, 2016
Observation date: May 09, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2016
Observation date: May 03, 2016
Submitted by: AnnL
Region: Todd County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: May 09, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 30, 2016
Observation date: Apr 13, 2016
Submitted by: larrytip
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Apr 27, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 20, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 20, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 20, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 20, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 20, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2016
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 17, 2016
Observation date: Mar 28, 2016
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 04, 2016
Observation date: Mar 31, 2016
Submitted by: Tindomul1of9
Region: Queens County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 01, 2016
Observation date: Mar 26, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy (Jon C. Ivy)
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 27, 2016
Observation date: Mar 21, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 21, 2016
Observation date: Feb 21, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 21, 2016
Observation date: May 27, 2015
Submitted by: SkrentnyJeff
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 20, 2016
Observation date: May 02, 2011
Submitted by: cyric
Region: Washington County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 15, 2016
Observation date: May 26, 2013
Submitted by: saraheb
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 23, 2016
Observation date: Apr 29, 2010
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Rhea County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 23, 2016
Observation date: Apr 02, 2012
Submitted by: Trailmaker
Region: Jefferson County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 07, 2016
Observation date: Mar 22, 2014
Submitted by: sschott
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 06, 2016
Observation date: Jan 30, 2015
Submitted by: Silverbeard
Region: Michoacán, Mexico
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Dec 27, 2015
Observation date: Apr 02, 2015
Submitted by: Cathy Miller
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 25, 2015
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