Ellis' Blue 
Euphilotes ellisii ellisii

#2 Male Eclosure

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#2 Adult Male Emerging
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Inflating Wings
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Drying Wings
Notice the merged four and a half  orange spots
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Close-up against a light background to show black spots,
 underside forewing fringe showing  five dark checks
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Close-up of Head
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Close-up of Head, Antennae and Legs
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Photos ©Nicky Davis

LOCATION: On  20 September 2010 Jack Harry and Jack Wolfe located larvae on Eriogonum corymbosum 38 miles
South of Price, San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah
. I was given four of these to rear.

I fed these third and fourth instars on Eriogonum corymbosum until  the plant was no longer available.  I  switched to Eriogonum racemosum for the last  two or three days before the larvae pupated.  Although they were not enthusiastic about the change in food plant, they all made it to pupa.

LIFE HISTORY:
Ova:  no samples located
Larvae:  No first instars were located to time as larvae not known
Pupae: 
25-30 days.  These usually hibernate as pupae.  They were  coaxed into skipping hibernation by using light 24x7, misting daily the inside of the bottles that covered each container and the pupae themselves and keeping them at 75 to 78 degrees temperature.
Adult:  unknown..but about two weeks
Adult:  Unknown - but about two weeks
Broods: One

Broods:  One
Hibernation: 
Overwinter as pupae.  These pupae need to be taken out of winter hibernation when  spring weather arrives. They need to be exposed to natural light so they will begin development at the right time for the butterfly to emerge at the same time that the host plant flowers bloom.


Host Plant
For photos of host plant , click on

Crispleaf Buckwheat - Eriogonum corymbosum
Redroot Buckwheat - Eriogonum racemosum

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