Cassius Blue
Leptotes cassius (Cramer, 1775)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside of males pale blue; females with white patches. Underside tan with broken pale lines; forewing inner margin has "blank" areas with no spots.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 3/8 inches (2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of the host plant; caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods. Predation and parasitism may be discouraged by ants, which tend the caterpillars and feed on their sugary secretions.
Flight: All through the year in southern Florida and South Texas. Number of broods has not been determined.
Caterpillar Hosts: Ornamental leadwort (Plumbago capensis), rattlebox (Crotalaria incana), hairy milk pea (Galactia volubilis), and lima bean (Phaseolus limensis). Larva has been reared on the crenulate lead plant, Amorpha crenulata.
Adult Food: Nectar from shepherd's needle, lippia, and many other flowers.
Habitat: Subtropical thorn scrub, forest edges, weedy fields, residential areas.
Range: Florida and the Keys; Texas south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to South America. Strays to New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, and South Carolina.
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: Suzanne Koptur (kopturs@fiu.edu) e-mailed to say that her graduate student Lauren Linares reared a caterpillar on the crenulate lead plant. The adult was determined by Dr. William Kern Jr. of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 236 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 10, 2018
Submitted by: AJVanh.arch
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 12, 2018
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: Susanne Delong
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Oct 07, 2018
Submitted by: EddieJo
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Oct 08, 2018
Submitted by: lgfortem
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Jun 03, 2018
Submitted by: Pamtennis32
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 30, 2018
Observation date: Sep 26, 2017
Submitted by: Smalltowngirl
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 30, 2018
Observation date: Aug 25, 2018
Submitted by: hunter58
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 27, 2018
Observation date: Jul 13, 2018
Submitted by: stargait
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 20, 2018
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 08, 2018
Observation date: Nov 24, 2017
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 07, 2018
Observation date: Jul 01, 2018
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 03, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 23, 2018
Observation date: Apr 06, 2018
Submitted by: MaynorOvando
Region: Guatemala
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jun 21, 2018
Observation date: May 23, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors son
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 28, 2018
Observation date: Jan 28, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 08, 2018
Observation date: Dec 30, 2017
Submitted by: AJVanh.arch
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2018
Observation date: Feb 22, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 04, 2018
Observation date: Dec 09, 2017
Submitted by: wayne13114
Region: Cuba
Verified by: wayne13114
Verified date: Dec 26, 2017
Observation date: Apr 18, 2014
Submitted by: crx2aj3
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 12, 2017
Observation date: Oct 16, 2017
Submitted by: scvirginia
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: jdzadik
Verified date: Oct 21, 2017
Observation date: Oct 15, 2017
Submitted by: dalbanese
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 15, 2017
Observation date: Oct 03, 2017
Submitted by: bvlusa
Region: Taylor County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 06, 2017
Observation date: Sep 28, 2017
Submitted by: dsjue
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 02, 2017
Observation date: Jan 21, 2016
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 24, 2017
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