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Project Noah Nature School
Celastrina ladon
Butterfly that is seasonally variable and sexually dimorphic. Upperside of males blue, females with some black at outer edge of forewing. Late spring and summer forms with white above. Underside hindwing gray-white with faded small black dots, darker gray with larger black spots, or with blotches and black margins in the center. Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 -3.5 cm).
Habitat: Openings and edges of deciduous woods, old fields, wooded freshwater marshes and swamps. This one was observed along the trail at the constructed ponds at Brick Pond Park in North Augusta (Aiken County), SC.
Caterpillar Hosts: Flowers of a variety of woody shrubs and occasionally herbs including dogwood (Cornus florida), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), meadowsweet (Spiraea salicifolia), and Collinsia. Adult Food: Flower nectar from dogbane, privet, New Jersey tea, blackberry, common milkweed, and many others.
Spotted on Apr 26, 2013
Submitted on Jan 10, 2015
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