Euphilotes battoides

According to Brock and Kaufman (2003), the widespread and ecologically variable  butterfly "species" of western North America known as the Square-spotted Blue (Euphilotes battoides) is in fact almost surely a complex of several distinct species, but the systematics of this group requires further study.

Resident in western North America (Scott 1986). Habitats are Lower Sonoran to Transition zones, in prairie, desert, open woodland, chaparral and dunes, plus alpine rock gardens in the Sierra Nevada. Host plants are usually herbaceous or shrubs, largly restricted to one genus Eriogonum (Polygonaceae). Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Individuals overwinter as pupae. There is one flight each year with the approximate flight time April1-Sept30 depending on subspecies and location (Scott 1986).

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) Southern British Columbia and the western United States. Distribution spotty.

Comments: Varies between subspecies; usually hilly or rocky. Hosts include Eriogonum fasciculatum, E. umbellatum.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 81 to >300

10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Adults feed sip flower nectar and mud. Males patrol for females (Scott, 1986).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank.   Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen.  Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Specimens with Barcodes: 41
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Some subspecies and state populations may be higher priority (e.g. E. B. ALLYNI).

Degree of Threat: C : Not very threatened throughout its range, communities often provide natural resources that when exploited alter the composition and structure over the short-term, or communities are self-protecting because they are unsuitable for other uses

Global Protection: Many to very many (13 to >40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed