Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)

This is part of the difficult to ID in the field "buckwheat blue" complex. Some current field guides lump this taxon as a subspecies under Dotted Blue (Euphilotes enoptes).


Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Lambs Canyon, Salt Lake Co., UT 16 June 2005	Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Lambs Canyon, Salt Lake Co., UT 16 June 2005


Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT 14 July 2014	Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT 14 July 2014


Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT 14 July 2014	Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT 14 July 2014

Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Near Wahsatch, Summit Co., UT
2 July 2024

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Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT 14 July 2014

From left to right:
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla), Lupine Blue (Plebejus lupini), Northern Blue (Plebejus ?idas? "atrapraetextus" annetta)
Wasatch Mountain State Park, Wasatch Co., UT
14 July 2014

In western Montana, several species of Euphilotes occur and are extremely difficult if not impossible to distinguish in the field. They most likely are Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) and Glaucon Blue (Euphilotes glaucon). Ancilla Blue is part of the Dotted Blue complex, and Glaucon Blue belongs to the Square-spotted Blue complex. Additionally, an undescribed species of buckwheat blue exists that differs in genitalia and, to some extent, host plant but distinguishing field marks remain unknown (S. Kohler, pers. comm.). Some of the photos below may be of that taxon.

#8861
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
28 Apr 2015

#8467
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
4 June 2014

#9258
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2014

Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)BR>Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2014

#0015
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9290
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014


#9674 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014	#9680 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014


#6879 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 10 June 2015	#6890 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 10 June 2015


#7435 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 15 June 2015	#7497 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 25 May 2014

#4108
Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla)
Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
30 May 2016

On Eriogonum ovalifolium


#4102 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 30 May 2016	#4210 Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT 1 June 2016

	#9902-a Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Just below Mt. Baldy, ca. 5400' elevation, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014 On the right is a mated pair. The left individual is a failing interloper, and he was much smaller than either of the mated pair. These are on Sulphur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum).
	#9902-b Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Just below Mt. Baldy, ca. 5400' elevation, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014
	#9902-c Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Just below Mt. Baldy, ca. 5400' elevation, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014
	#9902-d Ancilla Blue (Euphilotes ancilla) Just below Mt. Baldy, ca. 5400' elevation, Missoula Co., MT 2 July 2014