Cassius Blue
Leptotes cassius

The first state record for Cassius Blue was from Chatham County on August 27, 2007, and it has since been seen regularly in the Coastal counties. Its hostplant is Blue Plumbago, formerly called Cape Plumbago, (Plumbago auriculata), a South African plant that is widely used as an ornamental in gardens, parks and commercial plantings on the Georgia Coast. It is likely that Cassius Blue arrived in Georgia in commercial shipments of P. auriculata from South Florida, and it is almost certain that the Fulton County record pertains to a such a Florida arrival. It is now found in the same areas year after year in association with the host plant, and it seems to be locally established. On St. Catherine’s Island (Liberty County), it is reportedly using American groundnut (Apios americana) and milkpeas (Galactia elliottii and Galactia regularis) (Christa Hayes). There is one brood from mid-August into November. Early Date: August 27 (Chatham County); Late Date: November 28 (Chatham County). Conservation Status: Ephemeral. Dependent on cultivated plant, but the use of native plants on St. Catherine’s Island is of interest.