Mojave Dotted-Blue Euphilotes mojave (Watson & W.P. Comstock, 1920)

Family: Lycaenidae

Subfamily: Polyommatinae

Identification: Upperside of male pale blue with narrow black borders; female blackish-brown with extensive blue at base. Hindwing has orange marginal hind restricted or absent. Underside similar to Pacific Dotted-Blue

Wing Span: 3/4 - 7/8 inches (1.9 - 2.3 cm).

Life History: Dotted Blues usually stay near their host plants. Males patrol around the host plants all day to find females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers or buds; caterpillars eat flowers and fruits and are tended by ants. Chrysalids hibernate in leaf litter.

Flight: One flight; Mid-March to June.

Caterpillar Hosts: Low Eriogonum species, E. pusillum and E. reniforme.

Adult Food: Flower nectar, especially from Eriogonum.

Habitat: Desert washes and sandy areas.

Range: Mojave Desert region of southeastern California, southern Nevada, southeastern Utah, and northwestern Arizona. A small isolated population in northern Baja California.

Conservation: Lives in a fragile habitat, increasingly being invaded by fire-susceptible cheatgrass.

NCGR: G2,G3 - for species imperiled because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences), or because of other factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range. (Endangered throughout its range). OR very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range . Subspecies virginiensis Austin is of more dire conservation concern.

Management Needs: Conserve all habitats and maintain host plant populations for this species.

Comments: NULL

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