Euphilotes rita

Description

Euphilotes rita, the rita blue or desert buckwheat blue, is a species of butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico. The wingspan is 17–22 mm. The upperside of the males is bright lilac-blue with dark borders and a small orange patch at the corner of the hindwings. The upperside of the females is brown with an orange marginal band. The underside of both sexes is off-white with black spots. Adults are on wing from July to late September in one generation per year. They feed on the flower nectar of Eriogonum species. The larvae feed on the flowers and fruits of wild Eriogonum species, including Eriogonum effusum, Eriogonum flavum, Eriogonum leptocladon, Eriogonum racemosum and Eriogonum wrightii. The larvae are tended by ants.