Icaricia icarioides, or Boisduval's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found in North America. This butterfly has 25 recognized subspecies.
 This species has been classified in at least four different genera since it was named by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1852. It started out in Lycaena, was transferred to Icaricia by Nabokov (Hodges et al., 1983), moved to Aricia by Bálint and Johnson (1997), merged with some other genera in the supergenus Plebejus by Gorbunov (2001), which was accepted by Opler & Warren (2003) and Pelham's Catalogue (as of 2012); however, Lamas (2004) among others use Aricia. More recently, it was moved back to the genus Icaricia, which was reinstated as a result of molecular studies (Vila et al., 2011; Talavera et al., 2013). Synonymy, subgenera, and subspecies vary considerably depending on the author.
 Their range extends throughout the western US and Canada from southern Saskatchewan to British Columbia. Its habitats include dunes, mountains, meadows, streams, and sage-lands. It is also found in open areas or openings in woods near its larval host.
 Larvae feed on species of lupines (Lupinus). Adults feed on nectar from flowers of Eriogonum species and other composites.
 Wingspan: 21 to 32 mm.

- Greenish blue (Icaricia saepiolus)
- Silvery blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)

Similar species

Icaricia icarioides, commonly known as the Boisduval's blue butterfly, is considered a tree pest because its larvae feed on the leaves of various tree species, causing damage to the foliage and potentially impacting the overall health and vitality of the trees.

tree pest

Icaricia icarioides can be considered garden pests because their larvae may feed on the leaves of certain garden plants, potentially causing damage and impacting the aesthetic appeal of the garden.

garden pest

Icaricia icarioides can be considered crop pests because their larvae have been known to feed on the leaves of certain crop plants, leading to reduced crop yields and potential economic losses for farmers.

crop pest

Icaricia icarioides is considered a pest because its larvae feed on the leaves of trees, garden plants, and crop plants, causing damage to foliage, reducing crop yields, and potentially impacting the health and economic value of these plants.

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How big does a boisduval's blue get?

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