Everes amyntula

admin — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:09:07 +0000

Slightly larger and broader-winged than the Eastern Tailed Blue, with a grayer underside with smaller black dots and (often) stronger metallic scales near the base of the tail. This is a species of cool, moist habitats, from the Redwoods to the Sierran mid-West slope; it is completely absent from the Central Valley and typical E. comyntas habitats, and the two very rarely co-occur. (They may, however, hybridize where they do.) In the Sierra it occurs from 2500' upslope, and has a distinctive "ecotype" or ecological race above tree-line (e.g., on Castle Peak). At the lowest elevations it may be double-brooded (March-April, May-July); at Lang Crossing it is single-brooded in late spring (April-July, with the occasional late emergent possibly representing a potential second brood); at 7000' and above obligately single-brooded, but flying in late spring-early summer (June-early July).

In dappled light and shade or in sunlit environments, often flying within its host (when an ascending vine like Lathyrus) or just above it (native perennial Vicia, or, in the alpine, Whitney's Locoweed, Astragalus whitneyi). The larva lives inside the pod, eating seeds, and closes off its entry hole with silk (presumably to keep enemies out). Adults nectar at their hosts, but also on Pink Pussy Paws, Eriogonums, Composites and even Yerba Santa and Dogbane. They puddle occasionally, but not "big time." Colonies may be very circumscribed; one at Donner Pass was wiped out by the construction of a nerw road to Sugar Bowl ski resort.

Everes comyntas

admin — Sun, 28 May 2006 18:09:06 +0000

Like many Central Valley butterflies, this has been accused of being an introduction from somewhere else--but there is no good reason for thinking that it is. (We have done the molecular genetics which, alas, is uninformative.) The fact that it occurs widely and happily in disturbed habitats (in this case, annual grassland, riparian habitats and tule marsh) and often uses naturalized host plants contributes to the notion. It rarely turns up above 2000' and in our area is almost never sympatric with the Western Tailed Blue. Even at Lang Crossing, where the Western Tailed Blue is native and permanent and the Eastern a short-term colonist, they did not occur in the same spot.

The spring brood is more richly colored, especially in the female (which may be mostly blue above--summer females may be all black). This butterfly flies low, in the grass or among its host plants. It is strongly multiple-brooded, flying in the Central Valley from March to October (and rarely recorded as early as January!), and usually undergoing a "seasonal succession" of host plants as each passes through its life cycle and becomes available or unavailable as the case may be. In many places the first brood or two will be on introduced annual vetches (Vicia). Where native perennial Lathyrus is available, it may be used most of the season. Summer broods are often on Spanish Lotus (Lotus purshianus) and similar annual species, often shared with the Acmon Blue and Gray Hairstreak. In some places this butterfly may breed all seaason on the naturalized perrennial Bird's-Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Other hosts include Sweet Clovers (Melilotus) and Clovers (Trifolium). Adults are avid flower visitors - generally to small, low things like Lippia, Heliotrope and Clovers.

Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site - Everes

Everes amyntula

Everes comyntas