Spring Azure

Samantha Mahasena Purdue University - West Lafayette This is a microblogging platform informing interested readers about the Spring Azure Butterfly.

[smahasena]

Overview

The 2014 Tippecanoe County Butterfly Encounter influenced me to dedicate a whole project to butterflies. While putting this blog series together, I learned a lot about this particular specimen, especially the Spring Azure. I've learned about general information such as their location, what they like to feed on, and how to distinguish them and tell them apart from other butterflies. I also learned in depth about their life cycle and how each stage functions. The photos included in this blog also informed me how the Spring Azure looks like in each developmental stage: egg, larva, and pupa (chrysalis). I also learned about fun and entertaining things associated with butterflies, and that included butterfly catching. I was taught how to properly catch butterflies. The blog also includes interesting and educational forms of media communication, such as the video on how to catch butterflies and the beautiful poem about Spring Azures written by Mary Oliver.

I constructed my blog series based on three separate blogs I individually reviewed. All three blog platforms had insightful information that was short and straightforward, which I enjoyed. I tend to stray away from blogs that have a lot of writing because it's an eye-sore to read a blog post with long and stretched-out information. However, the blogs I reviewed seemed to include more photos than information in their forum. I felt like I wanted to know more about their subject. With all the critiques I've gathered, I decided to balance out the information and photos in my blog series. I also added a video and a poem to make it more interesting.

[smahasena]

Education Specialist Erin Paterson explains how to catch butterflies using a net and a little teamwork.

Video © KCK Public Library

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The Fun Stuff: How To Catch A Butterfly

First things first, you need a net!

Photo © nhbs

When you spot the butterfly you want, do not recklessly swing your net around trying to catch it. This method usually results in failure of catching the butterfly. Swinging the net around might potentially harm it and frighten the butterfly, making it fly away faster or into an area you cannot get to. Be patient and wait for it to land on a nearby flower or shrub.

Using your hands for catching is rather difficult and harmful for the butterfly if not done correctly. Having a net is your best way for catching the butterfly. When using your net, make sure to always swing horizontally to the ground. Swinging the net down towards the butterfly gives it a larger area to escape and can cause a lot of damage to the butterfly and the plant it landed on. Also, try to not hit the butterfly with the edge of the net, for it can kill the butterfly.

When butterfly catching, you should always release them back to where you found them. Let the butterfly out of your net so it can fly away and continue its life.

[smahasena]

This photo demonstrates Spring Azures sipping moisture from mud puddles, in which they take in salts and minerals from the soil. This behavior is known as pooling. This is mostly seen in male butterflies because they incorporate those extra salts and minerals into their sperm.

Photo © Dana Nature Post

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Did you know?

The Spring Azure is one of the shortest lived butterflies lasting only a couple of days.

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Photo 1 © Nicky Davis   North American Butterfly Knowledge Network 

Photo 2 © Nicky Davis   North American Butterfly Knowledge Network 

Photo 3 © Katja Schulz  Flickr: EOL Images 

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Life Cycle

As advanced insects, the Spring Azure has a complete life cycle. This means that there are four separate stages, each of which looks completely different and serves a different purpose in the life of the insect.

The egg of a Spring Azure usually resembles a flattened dimpled cushion covered in raised points alternating with depressions, in which the depressions pale green and the points white. 

Oviposition occurs when the eggs are inserted among flower buds of a wide range of larval food plants, mainly shrubs. They later hatch in four to eight days. 

The larva is slug-shaped and varies in color ranging from whitish, buff, green or pink with darker back and side stripes, covered with fine short hairs. During this stage, the caterpillar feeds on flowers and fruits preparing itself to grow. Later in the stage, the larvae is tended by ants which stimulate it to excrete a clear greenish "honeydew" from the top of the seventh abdominal segment. The presence of the ants is reputed to discourage parasitism by wasps and flies. 

The chrysalis is the transformation stage. The chrysalis is light brown to brownish yellow with black markings. They are often smooth and ovoid, and they pupate in crevices or on the ground. The chrysalis of the Spring Azure also overwinter during this stage.

Illustration © Amy Bartlett Wright Caterpillars

[growing-orbits-blog]

Sometimes, the great bones of my life feel so heavy, and all the tricks my body knows — the opposable thumbs, the kneecaps, and the mind clicking and clicking — don’t seem to carry me through this world and I think: how I would like to have wings — blue ones — ribbons of flame.

Mary Oliver, from “Spring Azures” (via growing-orbits)

[wingedjewels]

[smahasena]

Spring Azure, Celastrina ladon by Bill Bouton on Flickr.

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General Information

The Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It can be found in North America ranging from Alaska and Canada to the southern plains and the coast of Texas.The Spring Azure is one of the early spring butterflies and a member of the subspecies of “Blues," which includes the Summer Azure and the Eastern Tailed Blue. They appear similar to the Spring Azure, but arrive later in the year.

The Spring Azure is a small butterfly, only about an inch in width. Its wing span measures from 7/8 to 1 3/8 inches. The underside of the wings is a pale dusty blue with grayish spots while the topside is a vibrant purplish blue. The Spring Azure normally rests with its wings closed and has a rather erratic flight pattern.

As for their habitat, the Spring Azure can be sighted in edges of wooded areas as well as wetlands, fields and gardens. They are easily attracted to gardens and yards as their host plants; some of these host plants are commonly used for landscaping, such as dogwood, viburnum, and New Jersey tea. These butterflies will nectar on a wide range of flowers, but especially enjoy dogbane, privet, New Jersey tea, blackberry, and common milkweed.

Spring Azures overwinter in the pupal form, safe inside their chrysalis. The caterpillars are greenish in color with a dark stripe on the back, and they also feed on flowers and fruits and are tended by ants.