Shasta blue

Icaricia shasta, the Shasta blue,[1] is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from the northwestern United States to southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.[2]

Shasta blue
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Riodinidae
Genus: Icaricia
Species:
I. shasta
Binomial name
Icaricia shasta
(W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Synonyms
  • Lycaena shasta Edwards, 1862
  • Lycaena zelmira C. & R. Felder, [1865]
  • Lycaena calchas Behr, 1867
  • Rusticus shasta (Edwards, 1862)
  • Aricia shasta (Edwards, 1862)
  • Lycaeides shasta (Edwards, 1862)
  • Plebejus shasta (Edwards, 1862)

The wingspan is 20–22 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August.[2]

The larvae feed on Lupinus lyalli, Astragalus spatulatus, Astragalus calycosus, and Trifolium dasphyllum.[3]

Subspecies

There are seven subspecies of Icaricia shasta.[1]

  • I. s. charlestonensis Austin, 1980
  • I. s. calchas (Behr, 1867)
  • I. s. minnehaha (Scudder, 1874)
  • I. s. pallidissima (Austin in T. Emmel, 1998)
  • I. s. pitkinensis Ferris, 1976
  • I. s. platazul Scott, 2006
  • I. s. shasta (W. H. Edwards, 1862)

References
  1. "Plebejus shasta Standard Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  2. Shasta Blue, Butterflies of Canada
  3. Aricia at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
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