Polyommatus andriconus

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Darker, violet free blue is particularly visible here.

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Is this a real species? I am convinced. I thought I might have found it on Mt. Phalakron in N Greece in July 2000 but was never happy about my tentative ID based on a couple of worn specimens. In July 2004 I was finally convinced of its validity as a species. We were at about 1600m in the Pirin Mts of S Bulgaria when we found several very large insects that closely resembled the Common Blue, P. icarus, with which andronicus flies. These few specimens were so large that even the largest icarus I've ever seen were dwarfed. Naturally they were inspected more closely. The upperside of andronicus is a stronger, darker shade of blue, more intense than icarus and lacking the violet tints. Also its habits distinguished it. It is a very strong flier capable of disappearing from view in the distance at the smallest disturbance. Consequently it was very difficult to approach and photograph. By contrast icarus is much less direct and tends not to fly so far when disturbed.

It’s range is extremely restricted, being known from a few of the higher mountains around the magnificent Mt. Phalakron in N Greece. This includes some peaks in Bulgaria including the Pirin Mts. It is restricted to flowery grassy places close to the tree line, although within this habitat it evidently moves extensively due to its powerful flight and the way we saw it flying swiftly and directly. Additionally we failed to find any females so I suspect, as is common amongst the blues and many other butterfly species, that the females are sedentary straying relatively rarely from the breeding area.

Phalakron Blue