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Lysandra bellargus

Adonis Blue

Field Notes

Valais, Switzerland, June 2004

Cote d'Or, France, May 2004

Savoie, France, May 2005

The lovely form ceronus or semiceronus.

Valais, Switzerland, May 2006

Cluj, Romania, June 2006

Savoie, France, May 2005

Var, France, May 2005

Alpes de Haute Provence, France, May 2005

Savoie, France, May 2005

Pirin Mts, Bulgaria, July 2004

Please send comments on the rather violet blue of this specimen.

Var, France, May 2004

Blue form female.
A correspondent has proposed this is approaching the form semiceronus.

Var, France, August 2004

Var, France, August 2004

Valais, Switzerland, June 2004

Dorest, UK, August 2001

Dorest, UK, August 2001

Provence, France, August 2003

Isère, France, August 2002

Provence, France, August 2003

The males of this species are of a glorious dazzling blue. The blue flashes in the sunlight alternating with the relatively inconspicuous underside. In the UK it is restricted to open grassland of the southern chalk hills where it is locally common. Elsewhere in Europe its habitat preferences seem to be less strict and it can be found in more diverse habitats where, due to higher temperatures and a stronger sun, the requirement is relaxed for short turf and associated hot spot microclimates for the developing larvae.

It is found across Europe but is absent from Scandinavia and in the UK except from southern England. In north Africa it is replaced by the very similar Spotted Adonis Blue, Lysandra punctifera.

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