Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) is in the Gossamer-winged Butterflies family (Lycaenidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,701 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Spring Azure: observations by month (U.S.)
About Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon, the spring azure, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in North America from Alaska and Canada south of the tundra, through most of the United States except the Texas coast, southern plain and peninsula Florida; south in the mountains to Colombia.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Spring Azure by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 404 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 371 | April | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 217 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Tennessee | 187 | March | Mar–Mar |
| New Jersey | 172 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 154 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Pennsylvania | 149 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Missouri | 122 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Michigan | 91 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Virginia | 87 | March | Mar–Apr |
| North Carolina | 77 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Maryland | 74 | April | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 72 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Georgia | 66 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Indiana | 56 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 55 | March | Feb–May |
| Wisconsin | 50 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kentucky | 44 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Connecticut | 34 | April | Apr–May |
| Rhode Island | 34 | April | Apr–May |
| Kansas | 31 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Iowa | 25 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 25 | March | Mar–May |
| West Virginia | 25 | March | Mar–Apr |
| South Carolina | 21 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Texas | 14 | March | Mar–May |
| Nebraska | 13 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Delaware | 9 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 7 | May | Apr–May |
| Louisiana | 6 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Mississippi | 6 | April | Feb–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)
Gray Hairstreak
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Red-banded Hairstreak
Marine Blue
Ceraunus Blue
Summer Azure
Western Pygmy-Blue
Reakirt's Blue
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spring Azure?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to April.
Where is Spring Azure most often seen?
The most observations come from Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois.