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.
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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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