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 352 verified sightings
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
Observation date: Apr 21, 2021
Submitted by: Jsmickle
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 28, 2021
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Jan 02, 2021
Submitted by: Shearwater13
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 21, 2021
Observation date: Oct 30, 2020
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 08, 2021
Observation date: Jan 01, 2021
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Jan 01, 2021
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Dec 24, 2020
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 25, 2020
Observation date: Aug 19, 2016
Submitted by: dlorello
Region: New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 18, 2020
Observation date: Dec 02, 2020
Submitted by: storolaf
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
Observation date: Sep 21, 2020
Submitted by: Smalltowngirl
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 01, 2020
Observation date: Nov 24, 2020
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 29, 2020
Observation date: Nov 23, 2020
Submitted by: Shearwater13
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 29, 2020
Observation date: Nov 05, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 06, 2020
Observation date: Nov 04, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 04, 2020
Observation date: Nov 04, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 04, 2020
Observation date: Nov 03, 2020
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 04, 2020
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