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 275 verified sightings
Observation date: Feb 13, 2019
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2019
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Jul 25, 2019
Submitted by: mamacasne
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 31, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: Argyle
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 26, 2019
Observation date: Jul 18, 2019
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 10, 2019
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: Jrcooper115
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 20, 2019
Observation date: Jun 16, 2019
Submitted by: Argyle
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 15, 2019
Submitted by: bjgonfishn
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 15, 2019
Observation date: Jun 06, 2019
Submitted by: cherylthor66
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 14, 2019
Observation date: May 24, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Culberson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 13, 2019
Observation date: Jun 11, 2019
Submitted by: GinaT
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 12, 2019
Observation date: Mar 11, 2019
Submitted by: gblkrum
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Apr 29, 2019
Observation date: Apr 09, 2019
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 10, 2019
Observation date: Apr 05, 2019
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 08, 2019
Observation date: Apr 08, 2019
Submitted by: dbrookens
Region: St. Lucie County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 08, 2019
Observation date: Mar 30, 2019
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 30, 2019
Observation date: Mar 16, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 26, 2019
Observation date: Mar 13, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Nov 01, 2018
Submitted by: MarcyG333
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 26, 2019
Observation date: Nov 08, 2013
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 08, 2019
Observation date: Dec 24, 2018
Submitted by: dbrudin
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 07, 2019
Observation date: Jan 01, 2019
Submitted by: dbrudin
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 07, 2019
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