Karner Blue
Common NameKarner Blue
Scientific NamePlebejus samuelis
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
Wingspan (mm)28
Wing Patternsolid
Primary Colorsblue, black, orange, white
HabitatPine barrens, oak savannas, sandy grasslands, open woodlands
Geographic RangeGreat Lakes region and parts of the northeastern United States (fragmented populations)
Host PlantsWild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
Flight PeriodLate May to mid-June (first brood), mid-July to mid-August (second brood)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusendangered
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on wild lupine stems or leaves in late summer, overwinter, and hatch in spring. Larvae feed exclusively on lupine leaves, pupate near the ground, and adults emerge for two distinct flight periods.
Identification TipsLook for its small size, the presence of wild lupine, the iridescent blue of males, and the characteristic row of orange-capped black spots on the underside of the hindwings.
Description
A small butterfly, males display iridescent violet-blue upperwings with narrow black borders, while females are duller blue to brownish with a row of orange crescents on the hindwing. The underside of both sexes features a distinctive row of black spots ringed with white, and a prominent row of orange-capped black spots along the hindwing margin.
