|
Disclaimer: This material is being kept online for historical purposes. Content is no longer being updated and may contain broken links. |
|
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 Content is no longer being updated and may contain broken links.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 Philotes sonorensis Sonoran Blue |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Size:
wingspread .75-1 in. Recognition: Very distinctive; fantastically bright blue with colorful red-orange markings; male can be brighter than female, while the female can have more red-orange areas; underside is mixed shades of gray with row of black spots on FW and more orange coloring. Flight period: January to June is the typical flight peroid of this well-known early spring butterfly. Hostplants: The larvae feed on Dudleya species (Crassulaceae), escpecially choosing the colorfully pink/red flowered D.lanceolata plants. Habitat: Found at lower mountain elevations and edges, in open or treed sunny areas, hillsides, or canyons. Distribution: This unmistakable Blue flies in a strip through the middle of California, which is parallel to its range along the western side of California, including Santa Barbara County, and extending down into Baja California. Other: This butterfly stands alone with no close relatives. Commonly believed to be named for Sonora, Mexico, this Blue actually takes its name from the California Gold Rush town of Sonora. 
previous species
Family list
Lycaenidae
next species
 |