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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters (Lycaenidae) » Blues (Polyommatinae) » Euphilotes » Rita's Blue - Hodges#4369 (Euphilotes rita)

Species Euphilotes rita - Rita's Blue - Hodges#4369

Representative Images

Rita Blue - Euphilotes rita - male Rita Blue 2 - Euphilotes rita - male Rita Dotted Blue - Euphilotes rita
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)
Subfamily Polyommatinae (Blues)
Genus Euphilotes
Species rita (Rita's Blue - Hodges#4369)

Hodges Number

4369

Other Common Names

Rita Dotted Blue

Size

17 - 22mm

Identification

Upperside of male bright lilac-blue with dark medium-wide borders; corner of hindwing has a small orange patch and small marginal spots. Upperside of female brown with broad orange marginal band. Underside of both sexes off-white

Range

Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Also found in northern Mexico.

Habitat

Arid areas such as desert foothills and shortgrass prairie.

Season

One flight from July to late September

Food

Larva; Wild buckwheat species including Wright's buckwheat, Effuse Buckwheat, and others.

Adults; Nectar from Eriogonum flowers.

Life Cycle

Rita Dotted-Blues stay near their host plants. Males patrol around the plants all day to find females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers of the host. Caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits, and are tended by ants.

Internet References

Nearctica.com
Contributed by Jason D. Roberts on 21 September, 2007 - 3:18pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Nick Block
Last updated 3 July, 2017 - 3:23am

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