Reakirt’s Blue is a small butterfly found from Costa Rica northward into the southwestern United States. Males have blue upper wings, while females display dusky brown wings with a touch of blue near the body. The hindwings feature two black spots but lack the orange coloring common in many other blues and hairstreaks. The underside is whitish gray with a distinct row of black forewing spots outlined in white. Similar black spots continue along the hindwings, including several small ones and one to three larger ones, also without any orange.

 

“Reakirt’s Blue” by Carla Kishinami, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Reakirt’s Blue Facts

Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Polyommatinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 3/4 – 1 1/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Grasslands, fields, desert, meadows, weedy areas, and creeksides

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) – non-native

• Indigo (Indigofera spp.)

• Indigo Bush (Dalea spp.)

• Mesquite (Prosopis spp.)

• Milk Vetch (Astragalus spp.)

• Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

• Rattleweed (Astragalus spp.)

• Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Reakirt’s Blue butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba)

• Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)