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Field Notes

NW Greece, August 2008

NW Greece, August 2008

Pelopennesos, Greece, July 2007

Female with the white streak.

Pelopennesos, Greece, July 2007

Males

Pelopennesos, Greece, June 2002

Macedonia, Greece, July 2000

Usually it is hot enough for this butterfly not to open its wings. Here it is
filmed at altitude where cooler air requires extra heating.

NW Greece, July 2004

Male. Large rough area of andriconal scales clearly visible on forewing.

NW Greece, July 2004

Female showing orange lunules

Pelopennesos, Greece, June 2002

Macedonia, Greece, July 2000

NW Greece, July 2004

Pelopennesos, Greece, June 2002

This is one of the largest Anomalous Blues. For this difficult group it is also the most distinctive. The underside hindwings have a double row of submarginal marks (lunules) that are quite distinct. No other species has this, rather they have a single row of smudges or even nothing at all. The male has a large area of the upperside forewing covered in rough andriconal scales. The female has varying degrees of red-orange on the submarginal area of the upperside hindwing, although this is equally often completely absent.

It is widespread and frequently encountered in its range across the Balkans, particularly in Greece but is usually only seen in ones and twos. It likes flowery places. These can often be very dry and stony but that is not always the case and sometimes lush grassy places are preferred at mid to higher levels.

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