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Plebejus argus

Silver Studded Blue

Field Notes

Cluj, Romania, May 2009

Vaud, Switzerland, June 2007

Cluj, Romania, June 2006

Dorest, UK, June 2001

Provence, France, July 2003

Provence, France, July 2003

Same butterfly as above.

Pelopennesos, Greece, June 2002

This species and the Idas Blue, P. idas, are problematic for identification purposes. They are both extremely similar, equally widespread and very variable. One character is constant - the male foreleg tibia has a hook in argus which is always absent in idas. This is difficult enough to see on a still butterfly, let alone on a hot sunny day. Another rule that holds for many populations it the thickness of the male upperside black border. This is usually thick in argus and rather thinner in idas. It is best to refer to the text books (e.g. Tolman 1997) for better guidance as to where this rule might fall down.

Unfortunately the video camera doesn't have good enough resolution to show the tibial hook.

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