The Butterflies of the World Foundation

A Non-Profit Organization

Celastrina neglecta, Little Yellowstone Park, Barnes County, North Dakota, 12 July 2003

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-188-8.1

Celastrina neglecta, Little Yellowstone Park, Barnes County, North Dakota, 28 June 2003

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-182-8.2

Summer Azure

Celastrina neglecta, W. H. Edwards, 1862

Subfamily Polyommatinae

Taxonomy

The family Lycaenidae is a large and varied worldwide group that has 4,000 to 6,000 species depending on the ever-changing taxonomic flux.  They are collectively called Gossamer Butterflies or Gossamer Wings.  The family is further divided into eight subfamilies.  The first is the Theclinae which includes the Hairstreaks, Sunstreaks, Elfins and others.  The second is the Polyommatinae which includes the Blues, Azures, Arguses, Caeruleans and others.  The third subfamily is the Lycaeninae which includes the Coppers, Sapphires, Silverlines and others.  The forth is the Poritiinae which includes the gems.  The fifth is the Miletinae which includes the Brownies, Harvesters, Darkies, Apeflies and others.  The sixth is the Curetinae which includes the Sunbeams.  The seventh family is the Lipteninae which includes about 500 tropical rainforest gossamer wings.  The eighth and final subfamily is the Liphyrinae and includes the Moth Butterflies.

Celastrina neglecta, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 5 August 2010                                                                                 Ref #:  I-451-18

General Information:

Celastrina neglecta belongs to the subfamily Polyommatinae.  This butterfly’s range is the eastern half of the U.S. and southeastern Canada  It is found in openings and edges of deciduous woods, old fields and gardens.

Lifecycle:

The larval food sources includes flowers of a variety of woody shrubs and occasionally herbs including dogwood (Cornus florida) and New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana).  Caterpillars eat flowers and Chrysalids overwinter until flower late spring or summer.

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Roughleaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a common larval food source, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma                                   Ref #:  F-63-8

Roughleaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a common larval food source, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma                              Ref #:  N-17-19.3

Roughleaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a common larval food source, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma                                 Ref #:  F-63-7.3

Roughleaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a common larval food source, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma                                Ref #:  N-18-2.3

Roughleaf Dogwood, Cornus drummondii, a common larval food source, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma                                  Ref #:  F63-4.3