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Santa Barbara Field Guides - Butterflies Lepidoptera Lycaenidae Hemiargus isola Reakirt's Blue |
Size:
wingspread .75-1 in. Recognition: Steel blue with black outer lining of wings and white fringes, 2 small black spots on lower HW; underside has a row of 5 black spots down FW; tailless. Flight period: Adults are active from about April to October, and all year in the tropics. Hostplants: The larvae feed on plants in the pea (Fabaceae) and mimosa (Mimosaceae) families. Habitat: Reakirt's Blues are found in lowland situations and are rare at higher elevations. They prefer desert, and open areas, sometimes near mountains. Distribution: They are a permanent resident only in warm, southern climates, which includes southern California, but they are a regular vagrant over much of the US. |