Shasta Blue
(Plebejus shasta)
Blues
Appearance: Above, the male is lilac blue with wide, dark border; females more brownish blue and may have orange band at outer margin of hindwing. Both sexes have cell-end bars on forewing and hindwing. Below, both sexes gray; hindwing has a pale orange submarginal band containing metalic spots. Postmedian spots are pale brown or gray, but not black.
Wingspan: Small; 7/8 to 1 1/8 inches.
Habitat: Rocky hilltops and slopes, forest openings, high plains, and barren slopes above timberline.
Flight Times: June to August; one brood. Above treeline, hibernate first year as egg and second winter as mature caterpillar.
Larval Foodplant: Legumes – milk vetch, locoweed, lupines and clover.
Did You Know…
Most often found in barren windswept ares with low growing vegetation. Adults usually fly close to the ground (Opler).
