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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Everes comyntas
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 11642 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 29, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 07, 2025
Observation date: Oct 25, 2025
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 25, 2025
Observation date: Sep 15, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 08, 2025
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Oct 06, 2025
Observation date: Oct 03, 2025
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 04, 2025
Observation date: Jul 23, 2025
Submitted by: gpugesek
Region: Dixon County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Oct 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 24, 2025
Submitted by: gpugesek
Region: Cedar County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Oct 01, 2025
Observation date: Sep 29, 2025
Submitted by: AzarNick
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 30, 2025
Observation date: Sep 27, 2025
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 30, 2025
Observation date: Sep 20, 2025
Submitted by: Steph K
Region: Washington County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 28, 2025
Observation date: Sep 11, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 26, 2025
Observation date: Sep 14, 2025
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 25, 2025
Observation date: Mar 20, 2025
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 23, 2025
Observation date: Mar 20, 2025
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 23, 2025
Observation date: Sep 13, 2025
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 23, 2025
Observation date: Sep 19, 2025
Submitted by: Jorie
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 19, 2025
Observation date: Sep 10, 2025
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 15, 2025
Observation date: Sep 13, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 15, 2025
Observation date: Sep 10, 2025
Submitted by: Steve Altic
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 13, 2025
Observation date: Sep 10, 2025
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 12, 2025
Observation date: Sep 10, 2025
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Putnam County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 11, 2025
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Wayne County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
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