About the Karner Blue:  Description

The The Karner blue is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about one inch. Males and females can be distinguished by the coloration on the upper surface of the wings. The male is bright blue with a thin black line and white fringe along the wing margins.

Male Karner blue © Paul Labus

The female is dark blue near the body turning dark brownish gray toward the edges of the wings. The female also has a row of orange spots on the upper surface of the hind wing that is absent in the male.

Both sexes are silvery gray underneath with a row of orange spots along the outside margins of the wings.