Northern Blue
Plebejus idas (Linnaeus, 1761)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Geographically variable. Upperside of male iridescent blue, female brown with orange submarginal spots. Below, hindwing has a thin black line along outer margin which is broken into small dots at vein ends. Can be positively identified only by dissection of male genitalia and by locality.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol near host plants for females. Eggs are laid singly on stems of host plant or in debris beneath it. Second-stage caterpillars overwinter.
Flight: One brood from July-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants of the heath family (Ericaceae) in the east; legumes of the pea family (Fabaceae) in the west.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including yarrow; dogbane; orange hawkweed; and white, alsike, and hop clover.
Habitat: Openings in mixed evergreen forests, bogs, wet meadows, seeps.
Range: Holarctic. Nova Scotia west through the Great Lakes area and southern Canada; north to Alaska; south to central California, southern Idaho, and southwest Colorado.
Conservation: Subspecies lotis is probably naturally rare with low population densities; it is found currently in only 1 out of 7 of its historic sites. Successional changes in vegetation due to human disturbance choked out the host plant Lotus formosissimus. Subspecies lotis has The Nature Conservancy rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range). The species as a whole has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
NCGR:
Management Needs: The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan for the Lotis Blue cites the need for basic biological and ecological information about this butterfly. Three steps to recovery are listed: 1) protect remaining habitat and butterflies at the only known population site, 2) establish 3 new populations at different sites, and 3) determine the extent of the population and the size of secure habitats needed.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 222 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 27, 2012
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Lincoln County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 12, 2012
Observation date: Jul 22, 2012
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jul 25, 2012
Observation date: Jul 19, 2012
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 23, 2012
Observation date: Jul 08, 2012
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 09, 2012
Observation date: Aug 26, 2011
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 03, 2011
Observation date: Jul 27, 2011
Submitted by: elenajean
Region: Flathead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Aug 31, 2011
Observation date: Jun 18, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mueller, Steven)
Region: Alger County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 14, 1998
Submitted by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Region: Alger County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 25, 2009
Submitted by: plex1ppus (plex1ppus)
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 08, 2011
Observation date: Jun 26, 2006
Submitted by: Norbert Kondla
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Feb 18, 2011
Observation date: Aug 09, 2008
Submitted by: Peggy Hamlen
Region: Fremont County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: Feb 10, 2011
Observation date: Aug 09, 2008
Submitted by: Peggy Hamlen
Region: Fremont County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: Feb 10, 2011
Observation date: Aug 09, 2008
Submitted by: Peggy Hamlen
Region: Fremont County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: Feb 10, 2011
Observation date: Aug 21, 2010
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: Jan 23, 2011
Observation date: Jul 16, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Madison County, Montana, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Jul 20, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Jul 19, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Jul 20, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Jul 19, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: gerryq (Gerry Queener)
Region: Shoshone County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Aug 19, 2009
Submitted by: gerryq (Gerry Queener)
Region: Shoshone County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Jan 08, 2010
Observation date: Aug 19, 2009
Submitted by: gerryq (Gerry Queener)
Region: Shoshone County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Jan 08, 2010
Observation date: Jul 19, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and Evi Buckner-Opler)
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Sep 29, 2008
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