Celastrina ladon

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Lycaenidae

'The Lycaenidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Worldwide in distribution, this family has approximately 4,700 species that are unevenly distributed. Coppers are especially dominant in north temperate regions , blues are richest in the Old World tropics and north temperate zones, and hairstreaks are particularly abundant in New World tropics. The adults are typically small to tiny and often brilliantly colored--iridescent blues, bright reds, and oranges. Adults of both sexes have three pairs of walking legs , though most males have fused segments in their front legs. Most adults visit flowers for nectar, but some harvesters feed on wooly aphid honeydew and some hairstreaks feed on aphid honeydew or bird droppings. Females lay single, sea urchin shaped eggs on host leaves or flower buds; the resulting caterpillars are typically slug-shaped. In many species, caterpillars depend on ants for protection, so caterpillars produce sugary secretions that are collected by the ants. Most species overwinter in either the egg or pupal stage.

'[1]

Subfamily Polyommatinae

Blues are tiny to small butterflies of the Family Lycaenidae. Distributed worldwide, they are most diverse in Southeast Asia, tropical Africa, and northern temperate regions . Most of the nearly 50 North American species are found in the west. Adult males are predominantly blue above, due to reflected light rather than pigmentation . Some males and most females are largely brown above. Below, wings of both sexes are usually gray-white with black spots or streaks. Adults in some genera (Euphilotes, Lycaeides, Plebulina, and Icaricia) have more or less prominent orange submarginal bands on their hindwings . Most adults are found near their host plants , and they do not fly long distances , though some tropical and subtropical species undertake long migrations. Adults visit flowers for nectar. Males frequent moist sand and mud , and females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves or flowers. As caterpillars, they secrete sugary secretions that attract ants , and caterpillars of some species are raised in ant nests. Blues usually overwinter in the pupal stage.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Openings and edges of deciduous woods , old fields , wooded freshwater marshes and swamps . (ref. 105747)

This species is found primarily along woodland trails and clearings, usually far from open country. It associates with flowering dogwood; however, as this is such a widespread tree , found in nearly all forests , most people will have difficulty finding any correlation between the tree and the butterfly. It is less likely to occur in open areas than the Summer Azure. (ref. 104644)

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,145 meters (0 to 7,037 feet).[3]

Biology

Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Flowers of a variety of woody shrubs and occasionally herbs including dogwood (Cornus florida), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), meadowsweet (Spiraea salicifolia), and Collinsia. (ref. 105747)

Adult food: Flower nectar from dogbane, privet, New Jersey tea, blackberry, common milkweed, and many others. (ref. 105747)

The caterpillar foodplant is primarily flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). The adults nectar on many species, but they are commonly seen on mud or dirt or at puddles. (ref. 104644)

Behavior

Flight period: A single brood everywhere. In the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, the flight is primarily from early March (rarely February) to the end of April or early May. In the mountains, the flight begins in mid-March (rarely February) and ends apparently in late May. Thus, the flight period is approximately two months at any given location. (ref. 104644)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

Taxonomy of these azures is still under study. Males of this species are more violet-blue above than the medium blue Holly Azures or Summer Azures. Also known as "Edwards'" Azure, these butterflies are single brooded in NC generally flying from Feb into May. Note that current azure experts believe it's not possible to identify many (most) azures from photographs of the undersides alone. For positive identification, one should examine the top (dorsal) surfaces of the wings to look at subtle color differences and scale structures.

Members of the genus Celastrina

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 19 species and subspecies in this genus:

C. argiolus (Holly Blue) · C. argiolus argiolus (Lorquins Blue) · C. argiolus psuedargiolus (Jenny Lind) · C. echo (Echo Azure) · C. gozora (Mexican Azure) · C. humulus (Hops Azure) · C. idella (American Holly Azure) · C. ladon (Dogwood Azure) · C. ladon cinerea (Spring Azure) · C. ladon cinerea f. Arizonensis (Spring Azure) · C. ladon echo (Echo Blue) · C. ladon marginata (Marginata Spring Azure) · C. ladon neglecta (Summer Azure) · C. lucia (Eastern Spring Azure) · C. neglecta (Summer Azure) · C. neglecta-major (Appalachian Azure) · C. neglectamajor (Appalachian Azure) · C. nigra (Dusky Azure) · C. serotina (Cherry Gall Azure)

More Info

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• Bibliography (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) / Charles A. Bridges. Urbana, Ill.: C.A. Bridges, c1993. url p. 318.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 17, 2008:

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Alan Wormington Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Atlantic Forestry Centre Insect Reference Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Canadian National Collection
• of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Gerald Hilchie Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lyman Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, McMaster University Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, New Brunswick Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Subenacadie, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Ross A. Layberry Observations
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Ontario Museum: Entomology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal Saskatchewan Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of New Brunswick Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Western Ontario Collection
• Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois Natural History Survey

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 5456063
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Lep-202160.0
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13776969
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEPG0010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 172458

Footnotes

1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=16&sci=Lycaenidae&com=Gossamer-wing Butterflies [back]
2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Plebulina&search=Search [back]
3. Mean = 312.700 meters (1,025.919 feet), Standard Deviation = 361.410 based on 2,578 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.