Attributes of Cupido comyntas
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.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Cupido comyntas
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 200 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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April 14, 2012 | Cathy110 | James City County, Virginia, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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April 28, 2012 | Ken Cheeks | Aiken County, South Carolina, United States | May 09, 2012 | Details |
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May 07, 2012 | HClenin | Platte County, Missouri, United States | May 08, 2012 | Details |
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May 05, 2012 | cobal2913 | Delaware County, Ohio, United States | May 07, 2012 | Details |
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April 04, 2012 | flacracker | Adams County, Mississippi, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 21, 2012 | brepa72 | Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States | April 28, 2012 | Details |
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April 20, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Hardy County, West Virginia, United States | April 26, 2012 | Details |
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April 02, 2012 | raven10322 (This specimen is a male.) | Prince Georges County, Maryland, United States | April 25, 2012 | Details |
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April 14, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Mineral County, West Virginia, United States | April 16, 2012 | Details |
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August 13, 2011 | Chip Krilowicz | Hudson County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 07, 2012 | John LeBlanc | Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 09, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Burlington County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 10, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Camden County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 12, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Cape May County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 01, 2012 | Lois Stacey | Georgia, United States, Wilkes County | April 10, 2012 | Details |
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April 08, 2012 | chozebah | Dent County, Missouri, United States | April 09, 2012 | Details |
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April 08, 2012 | curtis.lehman (Michael Hensley) | Cabell County, West Virginia, United States | April 09, 2012 | Details |
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July 30, 2011 | Rick Henle | Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States | April 02, 2012 | Details |
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March 12, 2012 | jftrahan | Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States | March 27, 2012 | Details |
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September 05, 2011 | rogerdowner | Wayne County, Ohio, United States | February 16, 2012 | Details |
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September 06, 2011 | Karen Adams | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | January 24, 2012 | Details |
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September 17, 2011 | Karen Adams | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | January 24, 2012 | Details |
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August 28, 2011 | nickenew | Fairfax County, Virginia, United States | January 22, 2012 | Details |
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September 28, 2011 | CNoll | New Kent County, Virginia, United States | January 16, 2012 | Details |
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October 05, 2011 | CNoll | New Kent County, Virginia, United States | January 16, 2012 | Details |
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June 16, 2004 | David Stowers | Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States | January 04, 2012 | Details |
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October 01, 2011 | Randy L Anderson | Izard County, Arkansas, United States | January 03, 2012 | Details |
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May 22, 2011 | jftrahan | Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details |
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November 21, 2011 | vldeloach | Cherokee County, Georgia, United States | December 01, 2011 | Details |
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August 01, 2009 | rdhealy1951 | Hart County, Kentucky, United States | November 29, 2011 | Details |
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July 13, 2010 | rdhealy1951 | Hardin County, Kentucky, United States | November 29, 2011 | Details |
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July 06, 2011 | dan.in.crystal.lake | Ontario, Canada | November 19, 2011 | Details |
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September 03, 2011 | toasterbeans | Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States | November 02, 2011 | Details |
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September 22, 2011 | a.d.levine | Orange County, New York, United States | October 26, 2011 | Details |
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August 26, 2011 | ca_quail | Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States | October 17, 2011 | Details |
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October 02, 2011 | aahewetson | Crosby County, Texas, United States | October 09, 2011 | Details |
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October 05, 2011 | ntaulrable | Montgomery County, Ohio, United States | October 05, 2011 | Details |
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September 19, 2011 | Randy L Anderson | Henderson County, Illinois, United States | September 20, 2011 | Details |
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August 28, 2011 | Lstegall | Peoria County, Illinois, United States | September 19, 2011 | Details |
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September 11, 2011 | aarongunnar | Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States | September 15, 2011 | Details |
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September 08, 2011 | jarap | Bibb County, Georgia, United States | September 12, 2011 | Details |
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September 08, 2011 | Doug Bruce | Isle Of Wight County, Virginia, United States | September 10, 2011 | Details |
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September 05, 2011 | Mark Wheeler | Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States | September 07, 2011 | Details |
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August 20, 2011 | dragonfyre20 | Ontario, Canada | September 03, 2011 | Details |
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August 31, 2011 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | September 03, 2011 | Details |
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August 27, 2011 | jim8435wisc | Clark County, Wisconsin, United States | August 29, 2011 | Details |
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August 27, 2011 | jim8435wisc | Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States | August 29, 2011 | Details |
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August 23, 2011 | Kyle Jones | Windsor County, Vermont, United States | August 28, 2011 | Details |
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August 13, 2011 | jackieb | Adair County, Iowa, United States | August 27, 2011 | Details |
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August 24, 2011 | damselflies | Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States | August 27, 2011 | Details |
