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 73 - 96 of 11558 verified sightings
Observation date: Feb 04, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Feb 04, 2024
Observation date: Apr 17, 2016
Submitted by: eattaway92
Region: Union County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 28, 2024
Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 26, 2024
Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
Observation date: Jan 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 22, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Erie County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 15, 2023
Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2023
Observation date: Sep 17, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 08, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: bapeck8
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 07, 2023
Observation date: Sep 05, 2015
Submitted by: bapeck8
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 21, 2023
Submitted by: xBISsped6
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Sep 14, 2023
Submitted by: Dsmock
Region: Union County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 15, 2023
Observation date: Sep 11, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 13, 2018
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: ccoll78
Region: Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 02, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 01, 2023
Observation date: Aug 27, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 27, 2023
Observation date: Aug 25, 2023
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: Bowbender
Region: Ashland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Doug Nettleton
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
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