Palos Verdes Blue
Common NamePalos Verdes Blue
Scientific NameEuphilotes battoides allyni
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
Wingspan (mm)24
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsblue, grey, black, orange
HabitatCoastal sage scrub, chaparral, and grasslands
Geographic RangePalos Verdes Peninsula, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Host Plantsdeerweed (*Lotus scoparius*)
Flight PeriodMarch to April
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statuscritically-endangered
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed exclusively on the flowers and seeds of deerweed, pupate underground, and emerge as adults in early spring.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its small size, specific ventral wing pattern (black spots and orange crescents on a greyish-brown background), and extremely restricted range to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Description
A small butterfly, males typically have iridescent blue dorsal wings, while females are brownish. The ventral side, clearly visible in the image, is greyish-brown with distinct black spots and a band of orange-red crescents near the margin.
