Glaucopsyche lygdamus, the silvery blue, is a small butterfly native to North America.

Description

Its upperside is a light blue in males and a dull grayish blue in females. The underside is gray with a single row of round spots of differing sizes depending upon the region.

Distribution and habitat

G. lygdamus is found over much of the western United States and most of Canada extending north excepting most of Nunavut and the high Arctic islands. Wingspan is from 18 to 28 mm. It occurs in a variety of habitats including alpine meadows, shale barrens, dunes, and wooded areas. It feeds on Lupinus plants.

Taxonomy

The extinct Xerces blue (Glaucopsyche xerces) was once thought to be a subspecies of the silvery blue.

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically:

Visually similar species