Photos by Mary Holland
Every spring, tiny, delicate blue butterflies known as spring azures (Celastrina ladon) are among the first butterflies to be seen in the Northeast. The appearance of this butterfly depends on the angle from which you view it. From above, the wings are a bright, pale blue. The female’s wings have a dark border. From beneath, the wings are very pale and lightly marked with brown speckling. Thus, at rest or when mating with wings folded vertically (as pictured), they are not as striking as when they are seen flying. At one time, all North American azures were considered to be a single species. While several distinct species have now been identified, they are all similar and are collectively referred to as the “spring azure complex.”
