Attributes of Hemiargus ceraunus
Ceraunus Blue
Hemiargus ceraunus (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male light blue with a darker narrow border; female dark brown, often with wing bases blue. Underside gray; both wings with a row of dark postmedian dashes. Florida butterflies have one submarginal eyespot on hindwing; Southwest butterflies have two.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 3 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during warm hours of the day for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds or leaves of host plant; caterpillars feed on flowers and seedpods.
Flight: Throughout the year in Texas and south Florida, late summer in other parts of its range.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of woody legumes including partridge pea (Cassia brachiata), mesquite (Prosopis species), and rosary pea (Abrus precatorius).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open woodland, desert scrub, dunes, pastures, road edges, and vacant lots.
Range: U. S. Southwest, South Texas, Florida and the Keys south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to South America. Strays to North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, and Nevada.
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 Hemiargus ceraunus
Click on an image to view full size and to see additional details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 400 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 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Mohave County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Mohave County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Coconino County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Coconino County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Navajo County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Gila County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yavapai County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yuma County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | La Paz County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Maricopa County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pinal County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Graham County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Greenlee County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Tulare County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Inyo County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Kern County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Bernardino County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Ventura County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Los Angeles County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Orange County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Riverside County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Diego County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Imperial County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Alameda County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Bernardino County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Contra Costa County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Mono County, California, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Dolores County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Alachua County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Brevard County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Broward County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Charlotte County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Citrus County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Clay County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Collier County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Duval County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Escambia County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Flagler County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Hamilton County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Hendry County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Hernando County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Highlands County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Hillsborough County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Jefferson County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Lake County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Lee County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Leon County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Levy County, Florida, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details |
