Marine Blue
Leptotes marina (Reakirt, 1868)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Upperside blue; male with purple tinge, female with no white. Underside of forewing with unbroken pale brown bands from costa to inner margin.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol to find females. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of the host plant; caterpillars eat flowers and seedpods.
Flight: April-September in the north, all through the year in South Texas and southern California.
Caterpillar Hosts: Leadwort (Plumbago) and many legumes including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), milkvetch (Astragalus), and mesquite (Prosopis).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Subtropical and southwestern open areas including mesquite scrub, city gardens, desert, alfalfa fields, and waste areas.
Range: Southern California east through the Southwest, Mexico and Baja California to Guatemala. Wanders and temporarily colonizes north to Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisiana.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 193 - 216 of 1223 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2022
Submitted by: SteveKaye
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: lumpydave84
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 29, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: bces
Region: Pratt County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: Patti_Patamawadee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: Rozelle Wright
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
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