Appearance: Above, male iridescent silvery blue with narrow dark borders on forewing and hindwing; female varies from mostly brown to mostly blue with wide borders. Both sexes have white fringe. Below, gray-brown; both wings with row of white-ringed, round black spots.

Wingspan: Small; 7/8 to 1 1/4 inches

Habitat: Mountain meadows, open woods and grasslands, trails and roadsides; plains, foothills, montane, alpine.

Flight Times: April to late July, dependent on elevation.

Larval Foodplant: Golden banner, mountain lupine, milk vetches and other species in the pea family.

Did You Know…
This species is believed to be tended by ants in a mutual relationship where the caterpillars provide a tasty secretion for the ants and they in turn protect the caterpillars from the ravages of parasitic wasps. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds and young leaves of the host plants. Caterpillars feed on flowers, seedpods, and young leaves. Overwinter in chrysalis stage.

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