Acm*on Blue Mating Pair? Nope, Square Spotted Blue - Euphilotes bernardino

Moved

… David J. Ferguson, 18 July, 2009 - 1:27am

Moved

… Ron Hemberger, 18 June, 2008 - 8:48pm

Euphilotes

Hi Ron, This is not a Plebejus, but a Euphilotes of the E. battoides group. Some clues - large squared spots, particularly the large spots in the forewing discal cell; checkered marginal fringe; no metalic scales in the marginal dark spots on the hind wing. With the way they've been chopping these into mulitple mini-species lately, I'm not sure which name fits it most precisely. Perhaps a California Blue fancier will be able to be more exacting.

… David J. Ferguson, 18 June, 2008 - 4:47pm

Thanks for the correction, David.

I would (probably) know better now, but do appreciate the opportunity to straighten this one out. Square spotted blue is the current fave name I think. I'll check/change at any rate. Thanks again.

… Ron Hemberger, 18 June, 2008 - 8:43pm

And about a year later, there's a new (old) name

Bernardino Blue it is once again. Thanks, David, for all the moves.

… Ron Hemberger, 18 July, 2009 - 10:51am

It's frustrating for me,

because I'm not sure I buy into it. I've been tempted to put them all back into the "mega-species" with a choice comment about the splitting. But, I'm not the expert on these. So, for now, just trying to get everything like together on the same page, and in line with the current literature (which all seems to be using Jon Pelham's catalogue as the reference now). I like his catalogue, but I'm not convinced about all the dozens of split-up Blues and Metalmarks - yet.

… David J. Ferguson, 20 July, 2009 - 7:21pm

I'm with you on the blues.

What we had before as square-spotted seems to be the Bleu du Jour if you want a local variation. I was going to shoot El Segundo when it was apparently endangered, but gave up when I found the b'fly was IDed by the patch of buckwheat upon which it supped. Sounded pretty bogus to this non-scientist. (I won't even ask about the metalmarks.) Sorry you're bummed too. Or is it blue?

… Ron Hemberger, 20 July, 2009 - 7:52pm

I'm just a blue bum

8-]

… David J. Ferguson, 28 July, 2009 - 6:35pm