Attributes of Leptotes cassius
Cassius Blue
Leptotes cassius (Cramer, 1775)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of males pale blue; females with white patches. Underside tan with broken pale lines; forewing inner margin has "blank" areas with no spots.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 3/8 inches (2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of the host plant; caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods. Predation and parasitism may be discouraged by ants, which tend the caterpillars and feed on their sugary secretions.
Flight: All through the year in southern Florida and South Texas. Number of broods has not been determined.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ornamental leadwort (Plumbago capensis), rattlebox (Crotalaria incana), hairy milk pea (Galactia volubilis), and lima bean (Phaseolus limensis). Larva has been reared on the crenulate lead plant, Amorpha crenulata.
Adult Food: Nectar from shepherd's needle, lippia, and many other flowers.
Habitat: Subtropical thorn scrub, forest edges, weedy fields, residential areas.
Range: Florida and the Keys; Texas south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to South America. Strays to New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, and South Carolina.
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 Leptotes cassius
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 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
May 04, 2013 | TheButterflyEstates | Lee County, Florida, United States | May 09, 2013 | Details |
  |
December 19, 2012 | Wallwiz | Orange County, Florida, United States | February 11, 2013 | Details |
  |
January 09, 2013 | Wallwiz | Seminole County, Florida, United States | February 11, 2013 | Details |
  |
January 12, 2013 | Wallwiz | Seminole County, Florida, United States | February 11, 2013 | Details |
 |
January 28, 2013 | PDunwiddie | Lee County, Florida, United States | February 11, 2013 | Details |
  |
November 23, 2012 | jwunder3 | Orange County, Florida, United States | December 07, 2012 | Details |
 |
October 28, 2007 | Cheri Pierce | Lake County, Florida, United States | December 07, 2012 | Details |
  |
November 25, 2012 | jwunder3 | Orange County, Florida, United States | December 07, 2012 | Details |
 |
November 23, 2012 | toddewen | Sarasota County, Florida, United States | December 07, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 03, 2012 | cfhayes | Liberty County, Georgia, United States | November 27, 2012 | Details |
 |
November 03, 2012 | gaudettelaura@hotmail.com | Monroe County, Florida, United States | November 15, 2012 | Details |
  |
November 05, 2012 | arthurgoldsmith | St Lucie County, Florida, United States | November 07, 2012 | Details |
 |
October 19, 2012 | jjflossem | Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States | October 22, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 05, 2012 | Roy Brown | Glynn County, Georgia, United States | September 21, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 06, 2012 | Roy Brown | Camden County, Georgia, United States | September 21, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 07, 2012 | Roy Brown | Glynn County, Georgia, United States | September 21, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 08, 2012 | jwunder3 | Orange County, Florida, United States | September 11, 2012 | Details |
 |
August 16, 2012 | fitzclarke@bellsouth.net | Chatham County, Georgia, United States | August 27, 2012 | Details |
  |
June 28, 2012 | scfl47 | Indian River County, Florida, United States | August 04, 2012 | Details |
  |
July 27, 2012 | jjflossem | Hernando County, Florida, United States | August 04, 2012 | Details |
  |
July 31, 2012 | jkbckayaker | Polk County, Florida, United States | August 04, 2012 | Details |
  |
May 07, 2012 | John van Dort | Francisco Morazán, Honduras | May 07, 2012 | Details |
  |
December 29, 2011 | Jim Dolan | Pinellas County, Florida, United States | January 22, 2012 | Details |
 |
October 23, 2011 | curtis.lehman | Alachua County, Florida, United States | December 26, 2011 | Details |
 |
December 17, 2011 | mulhopd | Charlotte County, Florida, United States | December 19, 2011 | Details |
 |
November 04, 2011 | jbeau47 | Indian River County, Florida, United States | December 14, 2011 | Details |
  |
December 07, 2011 | jomarlin | Orange County, Florida, United States | December 14, 2011 | Details |
 |
October 30, 2011 | Real_Images | Pinellas County, Florida, United States | November 20, 2011 | Details |
 |
October 01, 2011 | jwunder3 | Orange County, Florida, United States | October 27, 2011 | Details |
  |
August 20, 2011 | tom howe | Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States | August 22, 2011 | Details |
  |
December 07, 2010 | Heron Tilapia | Hidalgo County, Texas, United States | January 25, 2011 | Details |
| September 02, 2009 | legacy.reporter (James Trager) | Franklin County, Missouri, United States | January 07, 2010 | Details | |
| September 07, 2008 | vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny) | Perry County, Alabama, United States | October 24, 2008 | Details | |
| September 03, 2000 | vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny) | Jefferson County, Alabama, United States | October 20, 2008 | Details | |
| September 10, 2000 | vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny) | Jefferson County, Alabama, United States | October 20, 2008 | Details | |
| October 29, 1999 | legacy.reporter (Brian G. Scholtens) | Charleston County, South Carolina, United States | July 25, 2008 | Details | |
| October 26, 1995 | legacy.reporter (Brian G. Scholtens) | Charleston County, South Carolina, United States | July 25, 2008 | Details | |
| September 19, 1995 | legacy.reporter (Brian G. Scholtens) | Charleston County, South Carolina, United States | July 25, 2008 | Details | |
| January 01, 2006 | legacy.reporter | Texas, United States, Victoria County | January 24, 2008 | Details | |
| January 01, 2003 | legacy.reporter (Bordelon and Knudson) | Culberson County, Texas, United States | January 08, 2008 | Details | |
| November 25, 2004 | legacy.reporter (Derek Muschalek) | DeWitt County, Texas, United States | December 28, 2007 | Details | |
| September 03, 2000 | vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny) | Jefferson County, Alabama, United States | December 04, 2007 | Details | |
| September 10, 2000 | vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny) | Jefferson County, Alabama, United States | December 04, 2007 | Details | |
| October 12, 2007 | legacy.reporter (Dan Vickers) | Glynn County, Georgia, United States | November 27, 2007 | Details | |
| October 27, 2007 | legacy.reporter (Cheri Pierce) | Lake County, Florida, United States | October 30, 2007 | Details | |
| October 14, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler) | Tamaulipas, Mexico | October 01, 2007 | Details | |
| October 16, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler) | Tamaulipas, Mexico | October 01, 2007 | Details | |
| October 15, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler) | San Luis Potosi, Mexico | October 01, 2007 | Details | |
| October 16, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler) | Tamaulipas, Mexico | October 01, 2007 | Details | |
| October 17, 2006 | legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler) | Tamaulipas, Mexico | October 01, 2007 | Details |
