Description
The Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) is a small butterfly with vibrant blue upper wings in males and brownish wings with orange crescents in females, while the undersides are grayish with black spots and orange bands, commonly found in grasslands, prairies, and alpine meadows across North America. I have yet to see this species in Minnesota even though it isn’t very rare, so the images above are from western Iowa.
Range
Western 1/3 of the state
Similar Species
Karner Blue is sometimes viewed as a subspecies of Melissa and sometimes a species outright. In either case, the two are remarkably similar and the only real way to tell is based on location. The Northern Blue is also very similar. In Minnesota, if you see something that looks like this species, it is either Melissa or Northern Blue as Karner has only been found from one site in Minnesota and it’s far from Melissa range (for now). If you are near the North Shore which is outside Melissa range, then it is Northern Blue. If you happen to be where Karners have been found in the state, you will probably be looking for Karners and already know what you are seeing.
Host Plants
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) – a common host in agricultural areas, Wild Lupine (Lupinus spp.), Wild Pea (Lathyrus spp.), Astragalus (Astragalus spp.), Vetch (Vicia spp.)
Flight
June-August