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 145 - 168 of 6669 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 30, 2020
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 01, 2020
Observation date: Mar 18, 2020
Submitted by: Joe C Adams
Region: Georgia, White County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 29, 2020
Observation date: Mar 25, 2020
Submitted by: Stephen G.
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: Stephen G.
Verified date: Mar 28, 2020
Observation date: Mar 12, 2020
Submitted by: Robert Nelson
Region: Baxter County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 13, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 03, 2020
Observation date: Mar 30, 2017
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: momsavang
Region: Harris County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 09, 2019
Observation date: Apr 14, 2005
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Franklin County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 01, 2019
Observation date: Apr 08, 2019
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 01, 2019
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: Kathleen_Ashman
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 13, 2019
Observation date: May 17, 2019
Submitted by: Stephen G.
Region: Boone County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 16, 2019
Observation date: Jun 01, 2019
Submitted by: Steve Altic
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2019
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: amarinello489
Region: Nassau County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 05, 2019
Observation date: May 26, 2010
Submitted by: greengenes
Region: Clark County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: Apr 16, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Duigon
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: May 22, 2019
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Georgia, Walker County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 27, 2019
Observation date: Apr 14, 2019
Submitted by: Tindomul1of9
Region: Queens County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 26, 2019
Observation date: May 13, 2019
Submitted by: Joe C Adams
Region: Georgia, White County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 16, 2019
Observation date: May 10, 2019
Submitted by: Joe C Adams
Region: Georgia, White County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 14, 2019
Observation date: Apr 29, 2019
Submitted by: Jeanne9953
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 05, 2019
Observation date: Apr 20, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 29, 2019
Observation date: Apr 22, 2019
Submitted by: Tony DeSantis
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 28, 2019
Observation date: Apr 22, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Plessner
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2019
Observation date: Apr 12, 2019
Submitted by: Jeanne9953
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 25, 2019
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