Bauer's Blue

Euphilotes baueri

Size: Up to 0.85 inch wingspan

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Key ID features:  Small. Male blue above with narrow dark wing borders, little or no orange along trailing edge of HW. Female dark brown above with prominent orange zigzag along trailing margin. Both sexes have checked fringe on FW. Below bluish-gray with bold black spots, larger on FW, and orange submarginal line edged in black on HW, sometimes as separate spots.

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Similar species: Best told from other Euphilotes blues by host-plant association, location and flight period.

Host plant: Eriogonum ovalifolium (cushion buckwheat).

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Habitat: Arid deserts with host plant cushion buckwheat. ​

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Range: Eastern Harney County, and area around Brothers, Oregon.

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Season: Early May to early June

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Abundance: Common

Conservation Status: Secure