"A true harbinger of spring" is what the Heitzmans call the Spring Azure (Celastrina argiolus ladon) in their book, Butterflies and Moths of Missouri. "It is our earliest native butterfly to emerge from overwintering pupae, often flying before the wild plum buds have opened," they say.
But it is right in sync with our apricot trees, which is where I found the Spring Azure shown here.
Seeing this tiny butterfly soothed the pain I always feel at seeing our apricot trees bloom so early. So what if we get a frost next week? Right now these gorgeous blossoms are feeding pollinators!
Notice how well the Spring Azure blends in. The black markings on the pale underwings look just like the dark anthers of the blossom against the white petals.
The video offers a glimpse every now & then of the gorgeous blue on the upperwings. Spring Azure belongs to a group of tiny butterflies called, not surprisingly, "Blues."
Right at the end of the video, a bee appears. I did a freeze-frame because otherwise he's just a blur.
He's not so clear under any circumstances, but does anyone have a guess as to what family of bee he belongs to....with all that red hair?!? And is he flying toward us or away from us? Is that black blob his face or his abdomen?
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