Sonoran Blue
Philotes sonorensis (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Our only blue with red spots on forewing. Upperside silvery blue; forewing of both sexes with red spots at outer margin; hindwing of female also with red spots.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol with a weak flight near the host plant for females. Eggs are laid singly on the leaves, and caterpillars bore into them to feed. Chrysalids hibernate under stones.
Flight: One flight from February-March.
Caterpillar Hosts: Stonecrop (Dudleya species) in the Crassulaceae family.
Adult Food: Not reported.
Habitat: Rocky washes, outcrops, and cliffs in desert.
Range: Very local. Placer County, California west to Santa Clara County; along coast through southern California to Baja California.
Conservation: Subspecies extinctis occurred in the upper San Gabriel river wash in southern California, but has been extinct since 1968 when its habitat was destroyed.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Protect colonies from habitat modification.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 271 verified sightings
Observation date: Feb 25, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 26, 2018
Observation date: Feb 23, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 23, 2018
Observation date: Feb 15, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 17, 2018
Observation date: Feb 09, 2018
Submitted by: Nancy Asquith
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 14, 2018
Observation date: Mar 04, 2010
Submitted by: Chris Barnhart
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 19, 2018
Observation date: Mar 20, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 24, 2017
Observation date: Mar 15, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 17, 2017
Observation date: Feb 25, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2017
Observation date: Feb 25, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2017
Observation date: Mar 12, 2016
Submitted by: mmjdelgado
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 11, 2016
Observation date: Apr 23, 2014
Submitted by: mmjdelgado
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 11, 2016
Observation date: Apr 05, 2016
Submitted by: mmjdelgado
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 11, 2016
Observation date: Mar 14, 2016
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 16, 2016
Observation date: Mar 01, 2016
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 04, 2016
Observation date: Mar 19, 2015
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2015
Observation date: Mar 07, 2015
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2015
Observation date: Mar 08, 2015
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 09, 2015
Observation date: Feb 18, 2015
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 20, 2015
Observation date: Feb 18, 2015
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 20, 2015
Observation date: Mar 18, 2014
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 26, 2014
Observation date: Mar 18, 2014
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 26, 2014
Observation date: Mar 11, 2014
Submitted by: mmjdelgado
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 27, 2014
Observation date: Feb 27, 2014
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 02, 2014
Observation date: Feb 05, 2014
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 07, 2014
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