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On each trip to Lake Jocassee, I enjoy seeing the things that have sparked my curiosity on previous adventures. The last several trips out on the lake, we have visited with a tiny pale blue butterfly. Recently one joined us, flitting from person to person. I decided to find out more about this tiny creature. As I looked from one reference source to another, I discovered that this is a bit more complicated than I first thought. Jane, a recent rider and new Jocassee friend, was kind enough to snap a picture of the azures at a puddle party near the Toxaway River. Based on the butterflies’ markings, the options were narrowed to three types of azures: the Appalachian, the spring, and the summer azure. The spring azure butterflies, Celastrina ladon, are usually seen in March through May and produce one brood annually. Flowering dogwood trees are a favorite host plant during the caterpillar stage. The Appalachian azure butterfly, Celastrina neclectamajor, which prefers cove forests and black cohosh plants, is seen primarily in April and May. The summer azure, Celastrina neglecta, was not identified as a species until 1995 because it was misidentified as spring azure. These butterflies are not picky eaters and young caterpillars enjoy dogwood trees, New Jersey tea, and other plants. Summer azures produce more than one brood annually. The first brood of the summer azure emerges even before the spring azure’s first brood. These butterflies fly later in the summer. BINGO! Sounds like this is the one we are seeing. It’s amazing to me that these three butterflies that look so similar have their own unique differences. There is so much to learn out in the wild areas of Jocassee. ~Cam McDade, JLT guide.