Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola (Reakirt, [1867])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male light blue with darker veins and dusky border; female darker. Underside of forewing with postmedian row of 5 round black spots circled with white.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females with an erratic flight during daytime. Females lay eggs singly on flower buds of host during midday. Caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods, sometimes leaves; and are tended by ants which presumably protect the caterpillars in return for their sugary secretions.
Flight: All year in South Texas; 3 broods from March-November in the remainder of its residential range; migrates north once each year after hibernating in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), rattleweed (Astragalus), mesquite (Prosopis), indigo bush (Dalea), mimosa (Albizia), and indigo (Indigofera) species.
Adult Food: Flower nectar from a variety of herbs including spearmint and white sweet clover.
Habitat: Grasslands, fields, desert, meadows, weedy areas, creeksides.
Range: Resident from southern California, the Southwest, and Texas through Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica. Summer migrant north and east through the Mississippi River states to Wisconsin and Ohio.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hemiargus isola
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1334 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 12, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 05, 2024
Observation date: Oct 07, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 05, 2024
Observation date: Nov 22, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 27, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 04, 2024
Observation date: Apr 27, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: La Paz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Graham County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Sep 20, 2024
Submitted by: bentert
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 31, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 30, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 04, 2024
Observation date: May 02, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Texas, Real County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 16, 2024
Observation date: Jul 24, 2024
Submitted by: tvl
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Jul 23, 2024
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Cinnamonroller
Region: Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Presidio County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2024
Observation date: Jun 06, 2024
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Texas, Randall County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
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