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 49 - 72 of 11558 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 07, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 06, 2024
Submitted by: vsantiagoam
Region: Durham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 04, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 29, 2024
Submitted by: Lavenderp
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 29, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: Lavenderp
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Botetourt County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 13, 2022
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 28, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Page County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: Lutya
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 21, 2024
Observation date: May 13, 2024
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 21, 2024
Observation date: May 15, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 14, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: scream of the b...
Region: Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Sevier County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: Nicolehexel
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 11, 2024
Observation date: Mar 31, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2016
Submitted by: Lupine1
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 28, 2024
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