Karner blue Butterfly Lycaeides melissa samuelis   Save
Ohio Butterfly Collection http://www.ohiohistory.org/ohiopix/
Description: The Karner blue Butterfly is an endangered species in both Ohio and the United States. It is a member of the Lycaenadae (gossamer winged) butterfly family and can be found only in locations where the soil is sandy and the lupine Lupinus perennis plant grows. The lupine is the Karner blue's only food source, and the plant is endangered in Ohio. By 1988, the species had been completely eliminated from Ohio. In 1997, a successful reintroduction project began. The Karner blue can be found only in the Oak Openings region of Lucas County (west of Toledo) during the months of May to July. This species has a wingspan of 1 to 1.4 inches (2.5 to 3.5 cm). In Ohio there are more than 150 species of butterflies. Twenty-seven different species of butterflies representing five families can be found in the Ohio Memory Online Scrapbook, including all seven species of butterflies that are listed as endangered in Ohio. Butterflies are a part of the order Lepidoptera (from the Greek words lepis, which means scale and pteron, which means wing). There are nearly 17,500 species of butterflies world-wide. Approximately 750 of these can be found in North America. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: OhioButterflyCollectionhttp://www.ohiohistory.org/ohiopix/
Subjects: Plants and Animals; Butterflies; Insects; Lycaenidae; Endangered species
Places: Lucas County (Ohio)