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 97 - 120 of 6669 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 28, 2021
Submitted by: TSims
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 30, 2021
Observation date: Apr 19, 2021
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 20, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2021
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 16, 2021
Observation date: Apr 14, 2021
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 15, 2021
Observation date: Apr 14, 2021
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 15, 2021
Observation date: Apr 08, 2021
Submitted by: Mayaich17
Region: Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 11, 2021
Observation date: Apr 09, 2021
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Clay County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 08, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Plessner
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Apr 08, 2021
Observation date: Apr 03, 2021
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Adams County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Apr 06, 2021
Observation date: Mar 29, 2021
Submitted by: rpanetta
Region: Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Apr 02, 2021
Observation date: Mar 26, 2021
Submitted by: TSims
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 01, 2021
Observation date: Mar 30, 2021
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Mar 30, 2021
Observation date: Mar 25, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 30, 2021
Observation date: Mar 29, 2021
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Greene County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Mar 29, 2021
Observation date: Mar 29, 2021
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Greene County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Mar 29, 2021
Observation date: Mar 24, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 25, 2021
Observation date: Mar 24, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 25, 2021
Observation date: May 20, 2020
Submitted by: Jacksenzig
Region: Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Apr 25, 2020
Submitted by: rbumann
Region: Winona County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Herriot
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Herriot
Region: Adams County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2018
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2015
Submitted by: schmev24
Region: Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 14, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: laurelwanrow
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
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