The Miami blue butterfly is a small butterfly with a wingspan of around an inch. They are bright blue on the back with a gray underside. The Miami blue has four black spots and a wide white band on the edge of both the hindwing and forewing.

Miami Blue Butterfly: Federally Endangered

The State Management Plan for the Miami blue lists four present threats, habitat loss and invasive species. These threats may have played a role in reducing the species’ original range to its very small present range. However, it is not clear what caused the Miami blue to disappear from the lands that it occupied, including Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. Although pesticide use has been suggested as a threat, it would not explain the Miami blue’s apparent loss from the national parks which were not sprayed. Due to its small range, the species would seem to be especially vulnerable to extinction from hurricanes. Both the Cassius and Ceraunus blue butterflies are also protected due to a similarity in apperence.

How You Can Help the Miami Blue Butterfly

In order to restore populations of this endangered butterfly, researchers are breeding the Miami blue in captivity and releasing butterflies in the wild within its historical range.

Many people put butterfly-friendly plants in their garden to help butterflies in general. Miami blue butterflies prefer balloon vine, gray nickerbean and blackbead. Tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rocklands and beachside scrub in the Keys provide the best habitat for these butterflies.

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