Blue Metalmark (Lasaia sula Staudinger)
Wing span: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm).
Identification: Male metallic blue-green above; female checkered gray with black spots.
Life history: Not reported.
Flight: April-December in South Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: Albizia in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult food: Not reported.
Habitat: Open subtropical forests and edges, agricultural areas.
Range: Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas south to Honduras.
Conservation: Not required for periodic stray and occasional resident.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: None reported.
References:
DeVries, P. J. 1997. The butterflies of Costa Rica and their natural history. Volume II Riodinidae. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 288 pages, 25 color plates. Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates. Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann
State and Regional References:
Neck, R.W. 1996. A Field Guide to Butterflies of Texas. Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, Texas. Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. Privately published, Denver, Colo. Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. Tveten, J. and Tveten, G. 1996. Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas. Univ. of Texas Press, Austin, TX. 292 pp.