This is a small eastern species with similar relatives such as the Provencal Short-tailed Blue found in the same area. It can be separated by its broader upperside wing margins and the presence of sex markings on the male. Scales are easily lost, making it look somewhat ‘worn’ or ‘dusty’, even in relatively fresh individuals. It is classed as Near Threatened in Europe, but I found several individuals flying near Cluj-napoca in Romania where it was rather inconspicuous, flying low amongst patches of Black Medick, its larval foodplant.
Distribution: Eastern Europe from Czech Republic and Austria eastwards to Belarus in the north and northern Greece in the south.
Flight Period: May-September in three broods.
Habitat: Woodland edges, mature scrub, lightly- wooded hillsides, dry river valleys between 250m-1000m.
Foodplants: Black Medick (Medicago lupulina) and other related species.
Nectar Sources: Black Medick (Medicago lupulina), vetches (Vicia), clovers (Trifolium) and speedwells (Veronica).
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- Eastern Short-tailed Blue, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Eastern Short-tailed Blue, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Eastern Short-tailed Blue, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Eastern Short-tailed Blue, Cluj, Romania, June 2019
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- Black Medick, Medicago lupulina, one of the larval foodplants.
