Acmon blue
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Icaricia
Species:
I. acmon
Binomial name
Icaricia acmon
(Westwood, [1851])
Synonyms
  • Lycaena acmon Westwood, [1851]
  • Lycaena antaegon Boisduval, 1852
  • Rusticus acmon (Westwood, [1851])
  • Plebejus acmon (Westwood, [1851])
  • Aricia acmon (Westwood, [1851])

Icaricia acmon, the Acmon blue, is a North American butterfly. It ranges mainly in California but can be seen north to Oregon and south through Baja California.

Wingspan is 17-30 mm.[1] The tops of the wings are blue with dark edges in males and brown in females. Its underside is white with black spots for both sexes with a red-orange band on the hindwing.[2] Caterpillars are yellow with white hairs and a green stripe down the back.[1]

Adults feed on nectar while caterpillars can feed on deerweed, buckwheats, lupines, trefoils, and milkvetches.[3][1]

Like many other lycaenid butterflies, it has a mutualistic relationship with ants, who protect Acmon blue larvae in exchange for honeydew that the larvae secrete.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Will, Kip; Gross, Joyce; Rubinoff, Daniel; Powell, Jerry A. (2020). Field Guide to California Insects. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 406. ISBN 9780520288744.
  2. "Acmon Blue Plebejus acmon (Westwood, [1851]) | Butterflies and Moths of North America". www.butterfliesandmoths.org.
  3. "Icaricia acmon". explorer.natureserve.org.


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