Our group is thrilled that we observed a Western Pygmy Blue in NE Florida. Fortunately, we got a photo and it has been agreed upon by one of eButterfly curators. We are wondering how this “stray” got here. Migration, storms, ?? Any ideas? How unusual this is?
Love to hear from someone on this topic.
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Hey @plkleinsasser , that is quite a finding!
There are just two additional reports in Florida for that species, but without a photo, and they haven’t been vetted: https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/checklists/view/21072 on Key West and https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/checklists/view/137157 on St Petersburg
Given that the Western Pygmy Blue’s typical range is far from Northeast Florida, finding one there would be quite unusual. Here are some potential explanations:
- Accidental Migration: Although their flight is weak, butterflies can be carried by strong winds over long distances. It’s possible that a Western Pygmy Blue was caught in a particularly powerful storm system and ended up far from its home range.
- Human-Assisted Transport: Butterflies can sometimes be transported accidentally by humans. For example, a chrysalis or adult butterfly might have been moved in a potted plant or other cargo.
- Range Expansion: While unlikely, it’s possible that the Western Pygmy Blue is undergoing a rapid range expansion due to climate change or other environmental factors.
I am definitively not an expert on this species or its life history, so would love to hear more specific pinions from other experts
What do other people think??
Wind blown north from the Tampa area?
FYI: There are a couple hundred observations in Florida of the range expansion of the mainland subspecies.
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Thanks so much for sending this info. Very informative. I’m looking in more detail at INaturalist Western Pygmy Blue sightings.
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