Observation date: July 14, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: It looks very brilliant blue on upper wings compared to guidebooks, but I'm looking at the large white borders around black spots, and the very faint post-median spots. Greenish Blues appear to have the bright blue coloration, but this individual is lacking many of the other features of Greenish. I had to heavily crop this photo because there were lots of other different species clustered together enjoying the mud at Segerstrom Creek.
Status: Resident
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: July 17, 2024
Coordinator notes: Yes, this is Boisduval's Blue. all your cues are good. this is a male, so note width of dark submargin on upperside. Females are almost entirely black above. This is ssp. Icaricia icarioides nigrafem Holland 2011. It is a local race endemic to the high mesas of the Raton volcanic field. one of the unique butterflies that make your area so cool. It never shows up for the late June Festival because it flies in July. Simon and I found it out on Johnson Mesa, too.
