Anna's Blue - Plebejus anna - BugGuide.Net

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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) » Plebejus » Anna's Blue - Hodges#4374.1 (Plebejus anna)

Photo#310385

Copyright © 2009 D. Cheasebro

Anna's Blue - Plebejus anna -

Gold Creek Pond (just E of Snoqualmie Pass on I-90), 2600 feet elevation, Kittatas County, Washington, USA
July 14, 2009

All four of these butterflies (separate individuals as far as I know), shot in the same area within 18 minutes, appear to me to be Northern Blues, Plebejus idas. Some may be difficult to ID for certain, but at least all seem to be consistent with it. There was also one individual with a checked fringe, so the Northerns didn’t have the meadow to themselves.

This male has faint orange spots beneath, suggesting P. idas; other candidates in the region seem to have either heavy orange spots or none.

The flower appears to be Oxeye Daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare (non-native).

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Contributed by D. Cheasebro on 26 July, 2009 - 3:18pm
Last updated 16 November, 2009 - 12:32am

I was a bit wrong.

Those from the Cascades are being separated as Plebejus anna, which some call part of P. idas, and others call a distinct species. The listings BugGuide is following now separate them as two species, so I've put these under P. anna. Turns out they are subspecies ricei (as shown here at Butterflies of America).

… David J. Ferguson, 16 November, 2009 - 12:00am

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am guessing they are

subspecies ferniensis, but I'm not sure; will leave here for now. If this is wrong, I'm sure somebody will come along and correct it before too long. Blues are pretty popular. :o)
see here at Butterflies of North America.

Moved from ID Request.

… David J. Ferguson, 6 August, 2009 - 4:30pm

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I think you are correct

P. icarioides can have some orange/red below (most likely in California, not likely anywhere else), but this does "look" like a Northern. Also, there is a hint of orange on the front wing too. That orange on the top side of the females also suggests strongly that they are Northern Blues too.

… David J. Ferguson, 26 July, 2009 - 4:13pm

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David,

thanks.

… D. Cheasebro, 26 July, 2009 - 4:52pm

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