Maculinea rebeli

Jura, France, July 2006

Jura, France, July 2006

Jura, France, July 2006

Mountain Alcon Blue
Maculinea rebeli

Distribution: N Portugal, W Pyrenees, much of France and eastwards across Germany and to northern Greece. Distribution is not well know due to the uncertainties of identification between this species and the very similar Alcon Blue, M. alcon.

Identification: Fairly large blues, undersides are uniform brown with small black spots circled white. Male uppersides of a violet blue. Females with blue basal areas and shady spots on the upperside reminiscent of the other Maculinea species. See also the Maculinea identification page for more information. Discovery of the egg laying site may help - on flowers of Gentiana pneumonanthe would indicate M. alcon, on leaves of Gentiana cruciata well before flowering would indicate M. rebeli. Separation from M. alcon is by the broader black margins of the upperside male and the extensive blue basal areas in the females. However, mitochondrial DNA evidence is insufficient to separate the species, and there appears to be overlap between the appearance of the species, habitats and foodplants used which could all be related to altitude or other ecological influences.

Flight time: Mid June at lower levels and July.

Habitat: Fairly dry areas at lower levels and damp meadows amongst trees at alpine levels. Eggs are laid, principally, on Gentiana cruciata, Cross Gentian, but also reported from other Gentiana.

Behaviour: Limited experience with this species indicates that it will congregate in a small area where courting and mating will occur.