Xerces Blue

[Neil Jones]

In article <391F441D.D654C41F at concentric.net>
           birdcr at CONCENTRIC.NET "Randy Emmitt" writes:

> Christie,
> 
> Doug Dawn wrote:
> 
> "The Xerces Blue is very easy to distinguish from
> the Silvery Blue which is a common name for the species argued to contain
> it.
>  If you look at the upper wing it is hard to tell, but the lower surface
> were
> albino white dots instead of the black ones you see in this pic of the
> Silvery Blue"

Actually the Xerces Blue existed in two forms as I understand it .
tHe typical xerces form and the form antiacis. The latter had heavily black
centred white spots. Does anyone know how this compares with the
Palos Verdes Blue which is obviously a close relation? The Palos Verdes
has more pronounced hindwing spots which sound just like this.
For those used to latin the Palos Verdes Blue is
Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis.



> 
> I have photos from May 01, 2000 of our North Carolina species of Silvery
> Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) after reading about the Ca. version I see that
> ours is much more habitat restricted. The four I found all were by
> themselves many miles apart. All at high elevations in the mountians and
> very restricted to it`s host plants  Carolina Vetch (Vicia caroliniana). The
> photos I took of the three that let me photograph them may still be out
> there as it was only 13 days ago. Have a look at
> http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/blue_silvery01.htm
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Randy L Emmitt
> Rougemont, NC
> Butterflies Found In NC Online!
> http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/butterflies.html
> 
> Paolo Mazzei wrote:
> 
> > Christie L. Hammond (Lake Hills Elementary School, Bellevue, Washington,
> > mailto:Christie.Hammond at bsd405.com) wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > It's me again.  My class and I have so been enjoying the generous
> > responses that we have received to our questions.  One of the things my
> > kids wanted to know about is the effect of extinct butterflies on the
> > ecosystem.  I believe the Xerces Blue butterfly is the first butterfly
> > to become extinct in North America.  I have been unablt to locate any
> > pictures or information regarding this butterfly or why it became
> > extinct.  I thought I would send this inquiry to you and see what you or
> > your e-mail network came up with.  We still have much work that we plan
> > to do but my class will be contacting you regarding the results of our
> > study.
> >
> > Again, thank you so much for your assistance with this project.
> >
> > Christie Hammond
> 
> 

-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve