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Albulina orbitulus

Alpine Argus

Field Notes

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Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Vaud, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2006

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2005

 

Valais, Switzerland, July 2005

Unusual behaviour of a female taking salts from damp mud.

 

I have only rarely encountered this butterfly. It appears to be very localised in the Alps and the high mountains of central Norway. It also flies further east in the Urals. Other people know the butterfly fairly commonly in the right places, so it seems that I don't have the knack with this one. It flies at high altitudes (usually over 2000m) nearer the beginning of the season for the high Alpine species. However, it appears to be getting rather old by the mid and end of July in S Switzerland although in France I've found the odd good specimen in early August.

As can be seen above, the female is almost completely brown where as the male is a bright "fine" blue. Both sexes take water which is not so often seen in the female.

 

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