Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor) Allegany County, Maryland
Azures are the most misunderstood and possibly the hardest butterflies to identify correctly.
I have pondered over this one azure since I photographed him. It is my first sighting this year of such a snowy-white azure and I have concluded that this individual is the very special Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor). It has all the right ID hallmarks: chalky white color, large size, hind wings with a clear white fringe. Further, the location and the flight time also point to the Appalachian Azure.
The only other azure with similar markings and snow-white color would be the second brood of Summer Azure. But, it is too early for the second brood and also, the white of the Summer Azure has a milky sheen and is not chalky matte.
The Appalachian Azure is single-brooded and flies between the two broods of the Summer Azure. This species is a host plant specialist using exclusively Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) as its host plant. On this date the Black Cohosh plants looked at the appropriate growth stage for this butterfly.
Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor) Allegany County, Maryland
Azures are the most misunderstood and possibly the hardest butterflies to identify correctly.
I have pondered over this one azure since I photographed him. It is my first sighting this year of such a snowy-white azure and I have concluded that this individual is the very special Appalachian Azure (Celastrina neglectamajor). It has all the right ID hallmarks: chalky white color, large size, hind wings with a clear white fringe. Further, the location and the flight time also point to the Appalachian Azure.
The only other azure with similar markings and snow-white color would be the second brood of Summer Azure. But, it is too early for the second brood and also, the white of the Summer Azure has a milky sheen and is not chalky matte.
The Appalachian Azure is single-brooded and flies between the two broods of the Summer Azure. This species is a host plant specialist using exclusively Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) as its host plant. On this date the Black Cohosh plants looked at the appropriate growth stage for this butterfly.