FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The lotis blue butterfly is tiny, having a wingspan of about 0.6-1.3 in (1.5-3.3 cm) at maximum. It is a tiny, cute, and brightly colored butterfly. The upper wings are in deep violet-blue for males, with a black border and white scales along the outer wing margin, whereas the upper wings are brown or bluish-brown, with an orange band near the outer wings, and a black border and white scales along the outer wings margin. The wings of both the sexes are grayish-white with withered black, orange spots towards the outer wing margins.
What drove the species toward extinction is still a mystery. The lotis blue was last seen at Pygmy Forest south of Fort Bragg in 1983, on its suspected host plant, seaside bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus formosissimus).
To know more about butterfly facts explore red admiral butterfly facts and painted lady butterfly facts.
The lotis blue butterfly is a very rare tiny beautiful insect that is brightly colored.
It is a Critically Endangered subspecies native to the coast of Mendocino County, California (with sightings in the margins of Sonoma and Marin counties.) According to Lintner, their population density has been listed as an endangered species since June 1, 1976, but has not been sighted in the wild since 1994.
Lotis blue butterfly belongs to the Insecta class of animals. Therefore, they are called with the scientific name Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis.
They have not been seen anywhere in the world since the 1980s. The lotis blue butterfly is by itself a naturally rare insect with a very low population density. Probably their population range may not be known, possibly due to the development in the lands and fields where they were found.
Lycaeides idas lotis are found in wet meadows and sphagnum willow bogs. The soil is waterlogged and highly acidic. Lotis blue butterfly habitat includes thick shrubs such as California rose, salal, western Labrador tea, wax myrtle, and California huckleberry.
The lotis blue butterfly is related to one of 12 subspecies of L. argyrognomon in North America. It usually inhabits grassy, flowery areas and mixed evergreen forests.
As these butterflies could not be found for nearly 30-40 years, most studies about this insect are incomplete. However, according to some records, these butterflies lived in packs with other butterflies along the northern coast of Mendocino.
The lotis blue butterfly has a single generation in a year. Eggs are laid in the relatively long adult flight period, from April to July. Hatched larvae begin to feed as soon as they are born. However, the lotis blue butterfly life cycle is in three parts. The first is its egg stage, next comes the caterpillar stage, which is also known as the larva stage, and the last is the hatch of the butterfly.
Eggs are laid during the adult flight season. Their breeding time is from mid-April to early June. The Newly hatched larvae begin to feed as soon as they are born, then in winter when they are in diapause state as a small larva. They resume feeding only in the following spring. The larvae or the caterpillars feed for about four to six weeks in the spring before pupating. Lotis blue larvae have not been observed. Therefore we cannot find out what type of host plant the larva needs for feeding itself. There is a report recorded that the lotis blue butterfly had an egg-laying behavior on the host plant coast trefoil (lotus formosissimus)
IUCN Red List status of lotis blue is Not Evaluated. However, lotis blue butterfly is federally listed under the Endangered Species Act with status as Endangered; date listed June 1, 1976. In addition, some common predators like secretary birds, king cobra snakes, or even horned toads can threaten these species.
* Please note that this is an image of a blue butterfly, one of the subspecies of the Lycaenidae family. If you have an image of a lotis blue butterfly please let us know at [email protected].
Just like a purple emperor butterfly, these butterflies are also the tiniest thing. The male lotis is brightly colored, while the female lotis is darker and less colorful. The undersides of both sexes are grayish-white, with black and orange spots flecked all over them. A female lotis blue butterfly is brown, and it has a yellow rim surrounding its body. Each butterfly is about a maximum of 2 in (5 cm) long. If given close attention, you will note that both sides of the wings are symmetrical.
Butterflies themselves are beautiful flying creatures. Lotis blue butterflies are attractive and cute insects.
Lotis blue butterflies communicate through their bright and beautiful, attractive colors, chemicals, sounds, and physical actions, just like any other butterflies. So it is with their colors that the males attract the opposite sex.
It is a small-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 0.6-1.3 in (1.5-3.3 cm).
They can fly as fast as to reach 37 mph (59.5 kph).
They usually weigh around 0.03-0.045 lb (13.6 -20.4 g).
There are no sex-specific names for the males and the females in their species.
The baby of a lotis blue butterfly is called a caterpillar.
Lotis blue butterflies are herbivores. They are found feeding on plants. They suck nectars from all the flowers, especially the nectar from the lupine plant. Just like other butterflies, these lotis blue also eats during the day. It eats different types of plants that are native to willow bogs and meadows of the coast.
No. These lotis blue butterflies are not dangerous or poisonous to any other species or related subspecies.
Lotis blues are very beautiful and very wonderful to watch them flying in the field. They are a good source of entertainment for adults as well as kids of all ages. Apart from entertaining the public, they also help pollinate plants, resulting in varieties of bog and meadows. Having said this, they wouldn't make a good pet because they are wild animals and would likely just fly away.
The lotis blue butterfly is the rarest butterfly in North America. All butterflies, when they migrate, settle in trees. Deforestation and drought mess up their migration patterns. Cutting the trees down will also kill the eggs that are on them. Probably, the ecosystems heat up, and this sudden rise would possibly mess up the migration routes.
The description of a lotis blue butterfly in 1879 by entomologist Lintner, based on a specimen named Mendocino, who wielded the net, remains a mystery. These records have even made the amateur lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov tired when he revised the taxonomy of North American blues in the 1940s. The lotis blue frequently visited Mendocino and Sonoma county or bog.
The present scenario or the description for a suitable habitat for the species is restricted to a single county or bog in the land of Mendocino’s Pygmy Forest. The blue lotis butterfly, last seen there in 1983. Entomologist Richard Arnold has made a detailed study in the sun-dappled forest range and reported that the location might be a host for long-lost butterflies.
The lotis blue butterfly got its name from the violet-colored males. Lotis blue butterfly's spiritual meaning is complex. It is a sign of life and love.
This butterfly is naturally rare and may become extinct due to natural factors like drying climatic conditions. The changes in the immediate location and vegetation community may affect the species and their subspecies. Suppression of fires and other such changes are suspected of disturbing open habitats like denser vegetation, forest openings, coastal prairies, and meadows. As the development for housing and building has increased in the near decades, resulting in loss and degradation of many native habitat areas. Just because the butterflies are associated with natural willow bog and wetlands, groundwaters can also affect the habitat for this kind of species.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these monarch butterfly facts and viceroy butterfly facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable butterfly side coloring pages.
* Please note that the main image is of a blue butterfly, one of the subspecies of the Lycaenidae family. If you have an image of a lotis blue butterfly please let us know at [email protected].
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.