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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hemiargus isola
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 1365 verified sightings
Observation date: May 15, 2023
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: May 02, 2023
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: Apr 28, 2023
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 28, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2018
Submitted by: Laurie Sheppard
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 30, 2023
Observation date: Mar 25, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Mar 29, 2023
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 12, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: César Osvaldo P...
Region: Chihuahua, Mexico
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
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, Wilson County, United States
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
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