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Long Tailed
Blue
Lampides boeticus
Distribution: North Africa and Mediterranean Europe. Strongly
migratory, it reaches northwards to N Germany. Occasionally reaching S England.
Identification: A long tail on the hindwing separates this spices from
most of the other blues. The uniform underside ground colour and a strong white
submarginal streak differentiate it from the only butterfly with which it may
normally be confused - the Lang's Short Tailed Blue,
Leptotes pirithous. In flight it looks
steely grey rather than typical blue.
Flight time: Most of the year in the most southerly climes, migrating
northwards as the season progresses.
Habitat: Diverse. Typically hot to very hot flowery places. Larvae
feed on the flowers and pods of various pea plants (Leguminosae).
Behaviour: Often found flying very rapidly around stands of pea
plants. In these circumstances it can be quite numerous.
Additional notes: It very very occasionally reaches the UK where I am
proud to say we found one in the summer of 1998.
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