The Spring Azure is a tiny butterfly found across much of North America. These butterflies are often seen flitting from flower to flower, especially from mid-afternoon to dusk. Males have bright blue upper wings, while females are a darker blue with bold black edges on the forewings. With wings closed, both sexes appear grayish with darker markings.

 

“Spring Azure Butterfly” by David Marvin, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Spring Azure Facts

Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Polyommatinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 1 3/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Openings and edges of deciduous woods, old fields, wooded freshwater marshes and swamps

 

🪴 Host Plants

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

• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Spring Azure butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

• Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)

• Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

• Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

• Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)