Azure
Guides
Celastrina
Holarctic Azures
Celastrina is a genus of small butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, commonly known as the Holarctic Azures. The genus is distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, Indomalayan, and Australasian realms. Species within this genus are typically associated with specific host plants, with larvae showing varying degrees of dietary specialization. Several species have been studied in detail for their ecological relationships, including facultative mutualisms with ants.
Celastrina echo
Echo Azure, Western Azure
Celastrina echo is a small blue butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, native to western North America. Its taxonomic status was elevated from subspecies of C. ladon to full species in 2001. The species exhibits complex associations with ants throughout its larval development and displays considerable variation in brood number depending on local climate conditions.
Celastrina echo echo
Pacific Azure, Echo Azure, Western Azure
Celastrina echo echo, commonly known as the Pacific Azure, is a subspecies of small blue butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It occurs in western North America, particularly in California and neighboring states. The subspecies is associated with specific host plants including California buckeye (Aesculus californica) and various Ceanothus species. Adults are active in spring, with flight timing varying by elevation and latitude.
Celastrina echo nigrescens
Northwestern Azure
Celastrina echo nigrescens, the Northwestern Azure, is a subspecies of the western azure butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Celastrina ladon. The subspecies was described by J. Fletcher in 1903. Like other azure butterflies, it is associated with specific host plants including California buckeye (Aesculus californica).
Celastrina lucia
lucia azure, northern azure, eastern spring azure, northern spring azure
Celastrina lucia is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, commonly known as the northern azure or eastern spring azure. It was historically treated as a subspecies of C. ladon until taxonomic research in the 1990s established it as a distinct species. The butterfly occurs in eastern North America from the Maritimes south through the Appalachian Mountains to West Virginia. Adults are sexually dimorphic and active from April to July.
Celastrina serotina
Cherry Gall Azure
Celastrina serotina is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, commonly known as the cherry gall azure. It occurs across North America from the treeline southward. The species is notable for its unusual larval diet: caterpillars feed on galls produced by eriophyid mites (particularly Eriophyes cerasicrumena) on cherry, and have been reported to consume the mites themselves—one of the few documented cases of carnivory in Lepidoptera. Adults fly in a narrow window between mid-May and mid-June in eastern North America, emerging after the spring azure (C. ladon) and before the summer azure (C. neglecta).