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Pseudophilotes panoptes

Panoptes Blue

euroButterflies

by Matt Rowlings

Granada, Spain, May 2019

Granada, Spain, May 2019

Field notes and information

A small discrete species, found in hot dry scrubby places with thyme, Thyums, in central and southern Spain.

Identification & Similar species: Very similar to the baton blue, P. baton, with which it may fly across northern Spain. In general the panoptes blue,P. panpotes, lacks all but the most rudimentary orange underside hindwing markings.

Another similar species, the false baton blue, P. abencerrargus, is extremely similar and they do fly together in limited areas of south Spain and south Portugal. The upperside ground colour of panoptes is paler then steely grey blue of abencerragus. The fringes of the underside hindwing appear to be distinct too, those of abencerragus broadening out at the outer edge of the fringe, while panoptes are rather more uniform (roughly squarish) - at least comparing my butterflies from Spain and Morocco.

Again comparing Moroccan abencerragus and Spanish panoptes the upperside forewing cell spots seems to be broader/ rounder and usually bordered, at least partially, with pale cream in abencerragus.

Distribution & Flight: From Catalonia and the southern Pyrenees throughout Spain and Portugal.

April/ June and July/ August according to the standard textbooks. In Catalonia, sites were I found it commonly in May 2007 had no butterflies in early August 2003.

Habitat & Behaviour: Hot dry clearings in scrub and light woodland with the larval food plant thyme, Thymus, nearby. It flies low to the ground where its small size and quick movement make it difficult to follow amongst the sparse grasses and low plants that make up its habitat. But it rarely flies far, often returning to the same patch of flowers again and again.