Karner Blue Butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis (background info.)

Taxonomic classification Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – Arthropoda Class – Insecta Order – Lepidoptera Family – Lycaenidae Genus – Lycacides Species – Lycacides melissa

Appearance malefemale Silvery to dark blue top with narrow black margins Grayish brown to blue top, irregular band of orange crescents inside the black margin (pic. next slide)

Female – Karner Blue

Appearance (cont’d.) Underside – gray with a continuous band of orange crescents and black spots circled with white. Wingspan ~1”

Reproduction 2 hatches per year 1 st – hatch in April from eggs laid the previous year. Pupate mid-May Adult – May/June

Reproduction 2 nd – hatch in mid to late June Pupate – early July Adult – late July Lay eggs that will hatch as the first generation the next April

Original Range Ohio Indiana Michigan New York Wisconsin Minnesota Illinois New Hampshire

Habitat Requires regions of wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) that has a winter snow pack. Such as the “Oak openings” (oak savannas) of N.W. Ohio (Lucas and Fulton counties)

Status Endangered Listed in 1992 on Federal and Ohio endangered species lists. Last seen in Ohio in 1988 Reintroduced in st U.S. reintroduction was in Ohio.