summer azure

Summer azure is a small to medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 15 ⁄16″ to 1⅛″. It occurs in North America east of the Great Plains. It is very common in Minnesota.

On the male, the upperside of the forewing is powder blue with a narrow black border just near the wingtip. The hindwing is lighter blue with no black markings. On the female, there is a broad black border on the forewing. On both sexes, the underside of both wings is pale grayish-blue or white with several black spots, more or less forming an inner and outer band across both wings, and a zigzag line in the submarginal area. The hindwing has no orange on the underside and it has no tail. The fringe on the forewing is white with black spots, while on the hindwing it is entirely white.

The eyes are black.

The antennae are black-and-white striped with a white-tipped club.

Wingspan: 15 ⁄16″ to 1⅛″ (24 to 29 mm)

Spring azure and northern spring azure fly from late April to late June. Any azure seen in Minnesota after July 1 is almost certainly a summer azure.

Forest edges, woodland trails, open woodlands, powerline rights-of-way, old fields, bogs, and swamps.

One generation per year: Early July to early September

Pupa (chrysalids) overwinter and emerge as adults in late spring or summer.

Unlike its close relatives, summer azure caterpillars feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs, including dogwood, meadowsweet, and New Jersey tea.

Flower nectar

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/15/2025).

Common

Genus
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) classifies this species as Cyaniris neglecta, a treatment that appears unique among the sources we have checked.

Formerly subspecies
Unitl recently, most North American azures were considered subspecies of Celastrina ladon. Research in the 1990s identified at least six distinct species in what is now recognized as the Celastrina ladon complex. Three of these new species occur in Minnesota: northern spring azure (Celastrina lucia), spring azure (Celastrina ladon), and summer azure (Celastrina neglecta).

Summer Azure (Celestrina neglecta)
Andree Reno Sanborn

Summer Azure (Lycaenidae: Celastrina neglecta) on Leaf
Carl Barrentine

Summer Azure Butterfly on Slender Mountain Mint
Tom Terrific

Dan W. Andree
July 2025

Location: Frenchman’s Bluff SNA

I seen a couple of them flitting around out at Frenchman's recently.

They didn't sit still very long. Cute little butterfly.

Location: New Richmond, WI