Boisduval's Blue
Plebejus icarioides (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male lilac-blue with dark borders. Female may be brown, or blue with wide dark borders. Below, black or white postmedian spots are larger on forewing than on hindwing.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during the day near host plants for females. Eggs are laid on new growth of host plants. Caterpillars feed first on leaves, then flowers and seedpods. Caterpillars produce a sugary secretion which is eaten by the ants that protect them. Second-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: April-August depending on location.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various lupine species (Lupinus) in the pea family.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including Eriogonum and various composites.
Habitat: Forest clearings and edges, prairie, sagebrush, chaparral, coastal dunes, fields.
Range: British Columbia east to the western edge of the Great Plains, south to New Mexico, Arizona, southern California, and Baja California.
Conservation: The Mission Blue, subspecies missionensis, is endangered in California. Loss of native grassland habitat and invasion of woody species has restricted the butterfly to 4 areas on the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula. The largest remaining population is protected in San Bruno Mountain County Park, where monitoring of the butterfly population and control of invasive species continues. Plebeius icarioides missionensis has The Nature Conservancy rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: Maintain or improve habitat and ensure adequate host and nectar plants for all rare populations.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1223 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 30, 2026
Submitted by: Lupine1
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 05, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jackson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 04, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Jul 04, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 05, 2026
Observation date: Jun 18, 2026
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Lassen County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jun 24, 2026
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jun 26, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 27, 2026
Observation date: Jun 26, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 27, 2026
Observation date: May 24, 2026
Submitted by: soshannak
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 27, 2026
Observation date: Jun 18, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 21, 2026
Observation date: Jun 14, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 18, 2026
Observation date: Jun 11, 2026
Submitted by: ElihuG
Region: Umatilla County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 15, 2026
Observation date: Jun 12, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 14, 2026
Observation date: Jun 05, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 13, 2026
Observation date: Jun 05, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 07, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 07, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: May 31, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 01, 2026
Observation date: May 30, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 31, 2026
Observation date: May 28, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 31, 2026
Observation date: May 09, 2026
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2026
Observation date: May 22, 2026
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2026
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