My first Massachusetts butterfly of the year. I'm surprised I couldn't turn up a Mourning Cloak or Comma today, but several of these kept me company along the trail.
"First Azure of the year, slow drive up the hill to Frater, three species of butterflies along route. Mix of sun and cloud, mostly cloudy. 16C Form ""marginata"" stopped next to the 3km sign along roadway."
Our earliest flying blue, the pattern on the underside is distinctive from the Silvery Blue and Eastern Tailed Blue, both of which fly later in the season. Five were in the pine clearing with the Henry's Elfins, and one was in the deciduous woods. Recent research shows that there is only one Celastrina sp. in Eastern Ontario, C. Lucia, the Northern Azure, which has multiple broods.