Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

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Santa Barbara Field Guides - Butterflies
Lepidoptera
Lycaenidae
Plebejus saepiolus
Greenish Blue


male upperside	male underside	female upperside	female underside

Size: wingspread 1-1.25 in.
Recognition: Male is blue to green-blue (can be distinctivly brighter blue); female is orange-brown to brown with occasional blue on inner wings (can have orange band on wings); underside of both sexes is light gray or brown with black spot pattern.
Flight period: The adults fly in the summer months of June and July most frequently, but can be found starting mid-May and into the middle of August.
Hostplants: Flowers of various milk vetches and clovers are used as hostplants for the larvae. Clover species such as Trifolium wormskioldii, T.monanthum, and T. longipes from the legume family (Fabaceae) have been recorded.
Habitat: They like moist areas, and are found in open habitats such as fields and meadows, often around wildflowers.
Distribution: The Greensh Blue is found over much of the western half of North America, extending into Alaska.

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