''Icaricia lupini'', the lupine blue, is a butterfly of the family

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterf ...

. It is found from south-western Canada, south through much of mountainous and intermountain western United States and high plains to northern Mexico. The wingspan is 22–29 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

of eastern California. Elsewhere, there are several generations from March to July. The larvae feed on ''

Eriogonum umbellatum ''Eriogonum umbellatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common name sulphurflower buckwheat, or simply sulphur flower. It is native to western North America from California to Colorado to central Canada, where it is abundant and fo ...

'' and ''

Eriogonum fasciculatum ''Eriogonum fasciculatum'' is a species of wild buckwheat known by the common names California buckwheat and flat-topped buckwheat. Characterized by small, white and pink flower clusters that give off a cottony effect, this species grows vari ...

''. Adults feed on flower nectar. The hairs of the caterpillars can cause skin irritation (

urticaria Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and does not leave any long-lasti ...

Subspecies

*''Icaricia lupini lupini'' (California) *''Icaricia lupini monticola'' (California) *''Icaricia lupini chlorina'' *''Icaricia lupini texanus'' (Arizona) *''Icaricia lupini argentata'' (California)

External links

Profile at Butterflies and Moths of North America
{{Taxonbar, from=Q62112787, from2=Q425600 Icaricia Butterflies of North America Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands Butterflies described in 1869