Reakirt's Blue
Echinargus isola (Reakirt, [1867])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male light blue with darker veins and dusky border; female darker. Underside of forewing with postmedian row of 5 round black spots circled with white.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females with an erratic flight during daytime. Females lay eggs singly on flower buds of host during midday. Caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods, sometimes leaves; and are tended by ants which presumably protect the caterpillars in return for their sugary secretions.
Flight: All year in South Texas; 3 broods from March-November in the remainder of its residential range; migrates north once each year after hibernating in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), rattleweed (Astragalus), mesquite (Prosopis), indigo bush (Dalea), mimosa (Albizia), and indigo (Indigofera) species.
Adult Food: Flower nectar from a variety of herbs including spearmint and white sweet clover.
Habitat: Grasslands, fields, desert, meadows, weedy areas, creeksides.
Range: Resident from southern California, the Southwest, and Texas through Mexico and Central America to Costa Rica. Summer migrant north and east through the Mississippi River states to Wisconsin and Ohio.
Conservation: Not 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.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hemiargus isola
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1261 verified sightings
Observation date: Dec 13, 2022
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 13, 2022
Observation date: Nov 27, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Oct 05, 2022
Submitted by: OhioHick
Region: Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 03, 2022
Observation date: Nov 12, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 23, 2022
Observation date: Nov 06, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 05, 2022
Observation date: Oct 16, 2022
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 17, 2022
Observation date: Oct 25, 2013
Submitted by: tjrickert
Region: Queretaro de Arteaga, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 15, 2022
Observation date: Jan 21, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Distrito Federal, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jan 21, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Distrito Federal, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Mar 17, 2020
Submitted by: Silverity
Region: Texas, United States, Wilson County
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Apr 10, 2020
Submitted by: abwest
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2020
Submitted by: Kennystoy
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: Jrios58
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: May 20, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: lwhite
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: May 04, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2018
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Mar 18, 2021
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: May 12, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Texas, Kimble County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 08, 2022
Observation date: Oct 01, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: L.Hale
Region: Texas, Lubbock County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 04, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
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