It is endemic to a small dune ecosystem in Southern California that used to be a community called Palisades del Rey, close to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

[5] This butterfly’s habitat has been substantially reduced due to urban development and invasive plants, and it now exists as a handful of populations restricted to coastal dunes in the vicinity of Los Angeles.

The El Segundo Blue Butterfly Habitat Preserve next to LAX exists to protect the subspecies.

In 2013, the El Segundo blue was discovered living and breeding in the Ballona Wetlands,[8] and its range now extends south to the Palos Verdes Peninsula and some have been located in Santa Barbara County.

[9] The butterfly lays its eggs on Seacliff buckwheat (Eriogonum parvifolium), which the adults also use as a nectar source.