Plebejus neurona
Veined Blue
Plebejus neurona flies in two broods from roughly May to September, using Eriogonum wrightii and kennedyi as host. Neurona overwinters as an early instar larva. As I write this, I've only seen it atop Mt. Piños, where there is a large open field of wrightii that supports many of these tiny butterflies; this is a great place to see it. It is said to also fly in the San Gabriels and San Bernardinos, and up north into the Tehachapis and as far north as the Sherman Pass Road in Tulare County.
Plebejus neurona taking nectar near the top of Mt Piños, June 25, 2017.
A closer look at the indivdual above.
Plebejus neurona on host Eriogonum wrightii var subscaposum atop Mt. Piños, where there is a large patch of wrightii and a healthy population of these "blues".
The ventral of Veined Blues is similar to Acmon and Lupine Blues, though this one had a slightly golden cast, as females of certain blues do; in flight, it looked like a small, golden butterfly. Mt. Piños, June 25, 2017.
I returned to the top of Mt. Piños on July 5th, 2019, and my timing was perfect for seeing this colony of neurona. They love to nectar on pussypaws.
Same day as the one above. The top of Mt. Piños is an easy hike from the large parking lot at the end of the road.
©Dennis Walker
