Special Segments Butterflies of North America Conifers of North America Eastern Birds List of N.A. Insects Home Eastern Wildflowers

General Topics Natural History Ecology Family Environment Evolution Home Education Home Conservation Geophysics Paleontology Organizations

Rita Dotted-Blue (Euphilotes rita [Barnes & McDunnough])

Wing span: 11/16 - 7/8 inches (1.7 - 2.2 cm).

Identification: Upperside of male bright lilac-blue with dark medium-wide borders; corner of hindwing has a small orange patch and small marginal spots. Upperside of female brown with broad orange marginal band. Underside of both sexes off-white

Life history: Rita Dotted-Blues stay near their host plants. Males patrol around the plants all day to find females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers of the host. Caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits, and are tended by ants.

Flight: One flight from July to late September.

Caterpillar hosts: Wild buckwheat species including Wright's buckwheat, Effuse Buckwheat, and others.

Adult food: Nectar from Eriogonum flowers.

Habitat: Arid areas such as desert foothills and shortgrass prairie.

Range: Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Also found in northern Mexico.

Conservation: Some populations are of concern because of limited habitat or threats to habitats.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G3, G4 - . Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range OR Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.