Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1119887

Thorne's Juniper
Callophrys thornei

Observation date: June 10, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: 64-71-61 air still groups flying at 61 when we were leaving, am clouds clearing in pm returning late afternoon. On Buckwheat, this is the only individual we saw on flowers for nectar of this species. lots of Cyprus growing and lots of seed on same. fire early this spring burned lower part of the mountain. but was quickly contained and eventually put out. Some say this species looks just like a loki juniper hairstreak, this one lacks all the blue/green of loki but some people have photo's that show more greenish blue. The colors have faded mostly, got one Fresh one we posted it. Not a lot of the Greenish blue of loki on it either!
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: June 11, 2017
Coordinator notes: Two scientific studies suggest thornei is a Callophrys loki subspecies. I had twenty pupae of thornei reared by John Emmel emerge in my study room. Almost all were green below at time of emergence but soon turned brown. Ten of those are now in the LACM and the other ten remain in my collection.-Ken Davenport
Checklist region(s): San Diego County, United States, California