description El Segundo Blue Overview
The El Segundo blue, Euphilotes battoides allyni, is a small butterfly restricted to coastal sand dune habitat in and near El Segundo in Los Angeles County, California. Its larvae depend on coast buckwheat as their principal host plant, closely linking the butterfly's survival to intact dune vegetation. It is federally listed as endangered and is a focus of habitat protection and restoration efforts.
help El Segundo Blue FAQ
Where does the El Segundo blue butterfly live?
The El Segundo blue, Euphilotes battoides allyni, is restricted to coastal sand-dune habitat in and around El Segundo in Los Angeles County, California. Its extremely small range makes habitat protection especially important.
What plant does the El Segundo blue depend on?
Its larvae depend primarily on coast buckwheat, Eriogonum parvifolium. The butterfly's life cycle is closely tied to the plant's leaves, flowers, and the insects found around its flower heads.
Why is the El Segundo blue butterfly vulnerable?
It is vulnerable because its remaining habitat is limited coastal dune land in a heavily developed part of Southern California. Loss or degradation of coast buckwheat habitat directly reduces places where the larvae can develop.
How large is the El Segundo blue butterfly?
It is a small butterfly, with a wingspan measured in roughly a few centimeters rather than the much larger span of a monarch or swallowtail. Males and females also differ in coloration, as is common among many blue butterflies.
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