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Tarucus balkanicus

Little Tiger Blue

Field Notes

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Macedonia, Greece, July 2004

 

Macedonia, Greece, July 2004
 

Macedonia, Greece, July 2004
 

Macedonia, Greece, July 2004

Larval food plant Christ's Thorn, Paliurus spina-christi, in the mid-ground
showing very distinctive pale green seed pods
 

Macedonia, Greece, July 2004

 
This is the sole representative of the Tiger Blues (Tarucus) in eastern Europe. It is slightly smaller than the other European species but they are found only in N Africa and Spain (T. theophrastus and T. rosaceus) and should not be confused in SE Europe. However, in certain places of N Africa there is a little overlap and here the smaller size and the male has more dark markings showing on the blue forewing. Also the submarginal line on the underside hindwing is continuous in balkanicus and broken at the veins on the other two species.

It flies in grassy places around abundant and very distinctive foodplant, Christ's Thorn, Paliurus spinus-christi. These places are usually located at low levels on foothills to mountains. Generally these places are very hot. They can be very large areas but I've never found this species to be very common or widespread amongst the trees.

 

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