Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas (Godart, [1824])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male iridescent blue; summer females uniformly brown, spring females smaller with much blue at the wing bases. Underside of hindwing pale gray with black bar at end of cell, distinct black spots, and three large orange spots at outer margin near tail.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol near the host plants during daylight hours. Females lay eggs on flower buds; caterpillars eat buds, flowers, and seeds. The caterpillar hibernates, pupating the following spring. Although most Lycaenids do not perch with open wings, Eastern Tailed-Blues sometimes bask with their wings at a 45 angle.
Flight: Three broods from April-November in the north, many broods from February-November in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the pea family including yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), alfalfa (Medicago sativa); various species of vetch (Vicia), clover (Trifolium), wild pea (Lathyrus), and bush clover (Lespedeza); and others.
Adult Food: This butterfly has a low flight and a short proboscis, thus is found at flowers close to the ground which are open or short-tubed. These include white sweet clover, shepherd's needle, wild strawberry, winter cress, cinquefoils, asters, and others.
Habitat: Many open, sunny places including weedy areas and disturbed habitats.
Range: Southeast Canada and Eastern United States west to western North Dakota, central Colorado, and central Texas. Also ranges from southeastern Arizona, western New Mexico, and west Texas south to Costa Rica.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Everes comyntas
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 11558 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 31, 2024
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Preston County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: Elisabeth_Cassinari
Region: Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 23, 2024
Submitted by: Laughingmantis
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: tedzimmerman
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: chirpus
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: May 28, 2024
Submitted by: billmaciejko
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 08, 2024
Submitted by: pjrosa
Region: Solano County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 03, 2024
Submitted by: Elfin
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 04, 2024
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2020
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 15, 2024
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 08, 2024
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Mason County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 09, 2024
Observation date: Jun 07, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
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