Stonecrop-feeder
Guides
Philotes sonorensis
Sonoran blue, stonecrop blue
Philotes sonorensis, the Sonoran blue or stonecrop blue, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Philotes. This small butterfly is found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, inhabiting arid rocky environments. The species has a wingspan of 22–25 mm. Larvae are specialized feeders on Dudleya species (stonecrops), boring into leaves. The subspecies P. s. extincta from the upper San Gabriel River wash was declared extinct in 1970 after three decades of annual sampling documented its disappearance.