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We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
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.
National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live. Learn more.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 368 verified sightings

Observation date: Mar 10, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Heredia, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022

Observation date: May 28, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022

Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: Birdwatcher5
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022

Observation date: Jan 13, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 08, 2022

Observation date: Oct 13, 2021
Submitted by: henryr10
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 01, 2022

Observation date: Feb 11, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 26, 2022

Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 10, 2021

Observation date: Dec 02, 2021
Submitted by: rarluck@gmail.com
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 02, 2021

Observation date: Apr 14, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 21, 2021

Observation date: Nov 12, 2021
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021

Observation date: Jul 06, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021

Observation date: Oct 16, 2021
Submitted by: Rachelsalazar
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021

Observation date: Oct 26, 2021
Submitted by: rarluck@gmail.com
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021

Observation date: Oct 13, 2021
Submitted by: dtibbetts
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021

Observation date: Oct 17, 2021
Submitted by: janno
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021

Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021

Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021

Observation date: Oct 24, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 30, 2021

Observation date: Oct 12, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 30, 2021

Observation date: May 21, 2021
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 05, 2021

Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021

Observation date: May 21, 2021
Submitted by: Laddiemac1
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 21, 2021

Observation date: May 01, 2021
Submitted by: Birdwatcher5
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 03, 2021

Observation date: Apr 20, 2021
Submitted by: Guerreroalex
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
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