Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas (Godart, [1824])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: One narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male iridescent blue; summer females uniformly brown, spring females smaller with much blue at the wing bases. Underside of hindwing pale gray with black bar at end of cell, distinct black spots, and three large orange spots at outer margin near tail.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol near the host plants during daylight hours. Females lay eggs on flower buds; caterpillars eat buds, flowers, and seeds. The caterpillar hibernates, pupating the following spring. Although most Lycaenids do not perch with open wings, Eastern Tailed-Blues sometimes bask with their wings at a 45 angle.
Flight: Three broods from April-November in the north, many broods from February-November in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the pea family including yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), alfalfa (Medicago sativa); various species of vetch (Vicia), clover (Trifolium), wild pea (Lathyrus), and bush clover (Lespedeza); and others.
Adult Food: This butterfly has a low flight and a short proboscis, thus is found at flowers close to the ground which are open or short-tubed. These include white sweet clover, shepherd's needle, wild strawberry, winter cress, cinquefoils, asters, and others.
Habitat: Many open, sunny places including weedy areas and disturbed habitats.
Range: Southeast Canada and Eastern United States west to western North Dakota, central Colorado, and central Texas. Also ranges from southeastern Arizona, western New Mexico, and west Texas south to Costa Rica.
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 comyntas
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 11673 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 04, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Jun 03, 2026
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: May 08, 2026
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: May 10, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 22, 2026
Observation date: May 17, 2026
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 19, 2026
Observation date: Mar 23, 2026
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 03, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 03, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 12, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 14, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 17, 2026
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 06, 2026
Observation date: Apr 23, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 24, 2026
Observation date: Apr 18, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 18, 2026
Observation date: Apr 11, 2026
Submitted by: MothManda
Region: Banks County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Apr 11, 2026
Observation date: Mar 29, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 06, 2026
Observation date: Mar 29, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 06, 2026
Observation date: Mar 29, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 06, 2026
Observation date: Aug 26, 2025
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Jun 10, 2024
Submitted by: Bookworm86
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Apr 05, 2020
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: matt johnstone
Region: Osceola County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Aug 04, 2025
Submitted by: Maureen M
Region: Lapeer County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
- 1 of 487
- next ›