Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male blue, female brown with blue at wing base. Underside white with black spots indistinct or lacking; single small orange spot near tail.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and perch during the day. Females lay eggs on flowers or young seedpods of host plant. Caterpillars eat young seeds inside the pod, where they overwinter and pupate.
Flight: March-July. Several broods in southern California, a partial second brood in the southern Rocky Mountains, and one brood elsewhere.
Caterpillar Hosts: Legumes with inflated pods including false lupine (Thermopsis), milkvetch (Astragalus), crazyweed (Oxytropis), and vetches (Vicia and Lathyrus).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open - usually native - areas with low shrubs including chaparral, meadows, and open woodland.
Range: Alaska south through western North America and all western mountains to northern Baja California, east across Canada's prairie provinces to northern Michigan, Ontario, and the Gaspé Peninsula.
Conservation: Not usually 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:
Everes amyntula
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 761 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 16, 2023
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: Paul C. Agidius
Region: Latah County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2017
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2017
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: natureali
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: natureali
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Aug 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: katherineylital...
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 02, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 20, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Lyle R
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2023
Observation date: Jun 16, 2023
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 18, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 07, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: Varn
Region: Jefferson County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 13, 2023
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Umatilla County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 20, 2023
Observation date: May 19, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 20, 2023
Observation date: May 04, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 06, 2023
Observation date: Apr 21, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 03, 2023
Observation date: Apr 20, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
Observation date: Mar 18, 2019
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
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