Ceraunus Blue
Hemiargus ceraunus (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of male light blue with a darker narrow border; female dark brown, often with wing bases blue. Underside gray; both wings with a row of dark postmedian dashes. Florida butterflies have one submarginal eyespot on hindwing; Southwest butterflies have two.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/8 inches (2 - 3 cm).
Life History: Males patrol during warm hours of the day for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds or leaves of host plant; caterpillars feed on flowers and seedpods.
Flight: Throughout the year in Texas and south Florida, late summer in other parts of its range.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of woody legumes including partridge pea (Cassia brachiata), mesquite (Prosopis species), and rosary pea (Abrus precatorius).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open woodland, desert scrub, dunes, pastures, road edges, and vacant lots.
Range: U. S. Southwest, South Texas, Florida and the Keys south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to South America. Strays to North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, and Nevada.
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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 553 verified sightings
Observation date: Jan 23, 2019
Submitted by: suedavies28
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 26, 2019
Observation date: Jan 05, 2019
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 06, 2019
Observation date: Dec 16, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 19, 2018
Observation date: Nov 30, 2018
Submitted by: PamK
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 09, 2018
Observation date: Dec 04, 2018
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 07, 2018
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 29, 2018
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 26, 2018
Observation date: Nov 17, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 20, 2018
Observation date: Nov 07, 2018
Submitted by: Darrin Frye
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 10, 2018
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 08, 2018
Observation date: Nov 01, 2018
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 02, 2018
Observation date: Oct 30, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 31, 2018
Observation date: Sep 14, 2013
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 27, 2018
Observation date: Oct 22, 2014
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 27, 2018
Observation date: Aug 25, 2016
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 27, 2018
Observation date: Oct 21, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 27, 2018
Observation date: Oct 04, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 27, 2018
Observation date: Oct 14, 2018
Submitted by: BarryN
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 24, 2018
Observation date: Oct 13, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 21, 2018
Observation date: Oct 13, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 14, 2018
Observation date: Sep 30, 2018
Submitted by: DiSH Photography
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Oct 01, 2018
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Sep 22, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 29, 2018
Observation date: Sep 08, 2018
Submitted by: kellydfl
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 10, 2018
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