Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Disclaimer: This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Content is no longer being updated and may contain broken links.


Santa Barbara Field Guides - Butterflies
Lepidoptera
   Lycaenidae

     Celastrina ladon
     Spring Azure


male upperside
male underside
female upperside
female underside

Size: wingspread .8-1.25 in.
Recognition: Blue, females also have black on outer FW; underside is silver-gray to darker gray with small to medium black spots in HW.
Flight period: The adults fly from February to July, and longer depending on sun and water conditions.
Hostplants: The larvae feed on Ceanothus species, dogwoods, California buckeye, and others.
Habitat: The Spring Azure is found in deciduous forests and open areas around them.
Distribution: Thier range is through most of the U.S., into Canada and Alaska. A common butterfly of southern California, it has been found on Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina islands.
Other: The Spring Azure is one of the first butterflies of the spring and is a common site over most of the US. This species also has many subspecies, possibly including several western ones.

previous species                     Family list     Lycaenidae                     next species

© Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History