Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) - Glaucopsyche lygdamus

have to agree with Silvery Blue

Wing shape and coloring are wrong for Celastrina. Some Plebejus are very similar, but I don't think it is in that genus either. Individuals of Glaucopsyche lygdamus are usually distinctly larger in size than Celastrina in a given area. It's always easier when seeing under sides with Blues, and identifying by upper side alone can be quite challenghing.

Moved from Butterflies (excluding skippers).

… David J. Ferguson, 5 January, 2014 - 12:37pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 4 July, 2013 - 11:28pm

How confident are you that it's an Azure? To me it looks more like a silvery blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)

… Mike Hofmann, 14 June, 2013 - 10:10pm

From the pictures I've seen,

From the pictures I've seen, it seems like the male Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) lacks the detailed stenciling along the edge of the wings that this male has. What's more, though I don't think I've even seen a Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus), it seems from the descriptions like they're smaller than this dude. In addition, I haven't been able to find a range map, but I think it may be that the Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) does not occur in southern Quebec.

… John Faithful Hamer, 15 June, 2013 - 9:45am

I still think it's a silvery.

I still think it's a silvery. Silvery Blues do occur in Quebec, for example see the range map at http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Glaucopsyche-lygdamus

Silvery Blues have the thin black borders and the veins are usually stand out as a slightly lighter color and also a distinctive shade of blue. The black border on Azure's typical thicken as it approaches the forewing apex.

Also silvery blues are typically large for blues and larger than azures in the southwestern US, but I'm not sure if that is true in the north.

… Mike Hofmann, 1 November, 2013 - 9:44pm

p.s. Regardless, I'd love to

p.s. Regardless, I'd love to get to the bottom of this mystery. So, experts, please do weigh in!

… John Faithful Hamer, 15 June, 2013 - 9:48am