November 24, 2008

SM I T H’ S B L U E
BUT T ER F L Y
Family - Lycaenidae Phylum - Arthropoda Kingdom - Animalia Species - E. enoptes
Genus - Euphilotes Class - Insecta Order -Lepidotera Subspecies - E. e. smithi

Additional Infromation
Their relatives are the Acmon Blue and the Lipine Blue. Larvae have chewing
They are found in many dunes along the California coast. mouthparts to feed on
They are also found in many other coastal dunes. Their the host’s flower flower
petals and seeds in the
habitat is coastal dune. Their routines or niche is that they are
flower head. Female
alive for one week. In that week the have to mate, lay eggs (if are dark brown in
they are a female) and they must avoid preditation. They are color and male’s are
low in the food chain and are eaten by frogs. The butterfly has light blue. Both
a adaptation from going to a caterpillar to a butterfly. They female’s and male’s
have spots in the
reproduce by laying eggs on flowers. The Smith’s Blue
wings. The Butterfly is
Butterfly is endangered because it’s habitat is being
2.5 cm across it’s
destroyed. The habitat is being destroyed by human over wings. The Butterfly got
population, costal highway development, invasive plants, and it’s name from Rudi
by military usage of the costal dunes. Their is no protection Maltoni and Claud l.
law under state legislation. Although there are many National Smith. Claude had
died in a freak
Parks that protect it including San Francisco Bay National
accident and Maltomi
Wildlife refuge, Maritime Coast Range Ponderosa Pine gave the butterfly
forest at Carbinera Creek and Fort Ord. They became Smith’s name in honor
of him.
endangered in 1976.