Distribution: Europe except UK, central and northern Scandinavia.
Mountains of Algeria and NE Tunisia.
Identification: The underside is a pale silvery blue with small black
spots. Basal area is extensively blue or greenish. Male upperside black boarders
broaden towards the forewing apex. Female brown with basal blue. Underside
forewing has a curving row of spots that uniquely curves towards the anal angle.
These spots are also large.
Flight time: Usually April and May although reported in June and even
July.
Habitat: Grassy flowery places, often dry in the Mediterranean region.
Often amongst scrub or woodland.
Behaviour: Frequently visits flowers but also takes salts from mud,
droppings and carrion. We found around 30 individuals (all males) on a dead
horse in Greece - too repulsive to approach for photography.
Cluj, Romania,
May 2009
Valais,
Switzerland, April 2009
Female
Savoie, France,
May 2005
Male
Var, France, May
2005
Alpes-Maritimes,
France, May 2004
Unique line of
black forewing spots clearly start discally near
the costa and move outwards.
Lesbos, Greece,
April 2005
Heavy black
marginal markings.
Valais,
Switzerland, May 2006
Valais,
Switzerland, May 2004
Kozani,
Greece, May 2004
Rhodopi Mts,
Greece, May 2004
Kozani,
Greece, May 2004
Female
Kozani,
Greece, May 2004
Kozani,
Greece, May 2004
Two alexis
on the right taking salts on dung. Keeping good company
with three P. bavius, a C. minimus (bottom right behind
the leaf!)
and a Speckled Yellow moth.
