Northern Azure Celastrina lucia (W. Kirby, 1837)Western MD only    Synonyms: Hodges #4363.1.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Lycaenidae   >   Genus Celastrina   

Status:

Northern Azure (Celastrina lucia), as its name suggests, has a wide distribution in the north. This butterfly has long been considered as a northern subspecies of Spring Azure (C. ladon), though current systematics now treat it as a full species. This butterfly is known only from higher elevations of western Maryland, where it appears to use Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) as a larval host. In other parts of the range, it often uses various Vaccinium, especially lowbush blueberry (V. pallidum).

There are 14 records in the project database.

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A Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/11/2018). Determined by Harry Pavulaan. Photo by Mark Eanes. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/11/2018). Determined by Harry Pavulaan. Photo by Mark Eanes. (MBP list)

A Northern Azure in Middlesex Co., New Jersey (5/11/2011). Photo by John Beetham. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Allegany Co., Maryland (3/27/2021). (c) rborchelt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rborchelt via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Allegany Co., Maryland (3/27/2021). (c) rborchelt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rborchelt via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/2/2022). (c) rborchelt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rborchelt via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) rborchelt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rborchelt via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Josh Emm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/23/2023). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Allegany Co., Maryland (4/15/2022). (c) rborchelt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rborchelt via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Azure in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) sharonforsyth, all rights reserved. Photo by sharonforsyth via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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