Greenish Blue
(Plebejus saepiolus)
Greenish Blue sightings, by week (about)
Click to enlargeEast of Cornucopia, WI. June 16, 2006. Male
Click to enlargeEast of Cornucopia, WI. June 16, 2006. Female, same individual as the photos below.
Click to enlargeEast of Cornucopia, WI. June 16, 2006. Female, same individual as the photo above.
Click to enlargeEast of Cornucopia, WI. June 16, 2006. Female, same individual as the photos above.
The Wisconsin DNR lists the Greenish Blue as a species of special concern. Ebner in his Butterflies of Wisconsin listed this species as plentiful north of Door County.
Identifying characteristics: Above the male is a blue-green with a thin black margin and a dark bar at the end of the front wing cell. The female is much darker with varying amounts of blue and may have some orange on the hind wing. The female also has a dark bar at the end of the front wing cell. Underneath the sexes are essentially the same, a light gray background and a row of black postmedian and submarginal spots and usually with some orange between the spots bands on the back wing.
Similar species: In Wisconsin this species could be confused with a variety of blues in flight, but most likely would be confused with the Silvery Blue. The Silvery Blue lacks the black bar on the front wings above and has only the postmedian spot band. The Greenish Blue has a black spot bar on the front wing and has two spot bands below.
Habitat: Open, often disturbed areas where Alsike Clover, the host plant of this species, grows.
Flight: The Greenish Blue is single-brooded with individuals flying from early June to late July.
Abundance: This species is listed as a species of special concern in Wisconsin, but may become fairly abundant where it is found.
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Greenish Blue
Plebejus saepiolus