Reakirt's Blue (Butterflies of Alabama)

Reakirt's Blue

Echinargus isola

Summary ⁷

The Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Central America and the extreme southern U.S., isola migrates regularly throughout most of the U.S. almost to the Canadian border, and very rarely into the southern Prairies.

North american ecology (us and canada) ⁸

Resident from Costa Rica to S. Calif., Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, with extensive migration eastward and northward to eastern Canada (Scott 1986). Habitats are subtropical to alpine zone woodland, prairie, desert, moist meadows, creeksides, and fields. Host plants are usually herbaceous or shrubs and include many species, but mostly in one family, Leguminosae. Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Larvae are attended by ants. There are multiple flights each year with the approximate flight times dependant on location: MAY15-OCT31 IN COLO.; APR 1-SEPT30 IN ILL.; YEAR-ROUND IN TEX.; APRI1-OCT31 IN CALIF. (Scott 1986).