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y Aricia agestis

Brown Argus

Catalonia, Spain, May 2007
The butterfly appears to have failed to completely emerge from the pupa - the brown casing can be seen covering half of the abdomen and the rest of the casing is hanging down and forwards. The butterflies flight was, not surprisingly, seriously impaired.

Pelopennesos, Greece, July 2007

Var, France, May 2005

Ifrane, Middle Atlas, Morocco, June 2005

Ifrane, Middle Atlas, Morocco, June 2005

Lesbos, Greece, April 2005

Hautes Alpes, France, August 2004

Valais, Switzerland, July 2004

Valais, Switzerland, July 2004

Crete, June 2004

Crete, June 2004

Middle Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

ssp. crameri. Very dark brown underside. 3rd generation.

Middle Atlas, Morocco, September 2001

ssp. crameri

Macedonia, Greece, July 2002

ssp. agestis. Pale grey undersides

A small butterfly, usually, that is found across most of Europe and north Africa. Unlike most similar species it never has any blue scaling on the upperside. As it is brown it closely resembles the females of several species but the complete lack of blue should usually distinguish it in difficult cases. The Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus, is the closest in appearance. That species has a black cell spot on the underside forewing which is lacking in agestis. Also the submarginal orange band is much stronger all the way up the wing to the apex in agestis. This usually fades somewhat in icarus as the apex is approached.

In Spain and north Africa the subspecies crameri replaces the nominate subspecies. This has particularly strong orange markings on both wing surfaces. It is also somewhat darker brown underside which is more pronounced in the 2nd and subsequent broods.

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