The male upperside of this species is one of the most beautiful of all the blues with a striking sky-blue tone that is said to be impossible to create artificially when printing! It is a widespread but patchy species found in the hills however it can be abundant where found. The underside is distinctive with plenty of white around the edges.

Distribution: Central Spain through the southern half of France to S Sweden in the north and S Greece in the south. Absent from much of peninsular Italy and the Mediterranean islands.

Flight Period: May-August in 2 broods at lower levels; 1 brood from June-August in the mountains.

Habitat: Calcareous meadows, alpine grassland, woodland margins, sparse scrub up to 2500m.

Foodplants: Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).

Nectar Sources: Allium, Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Eryngium, lavenders (Lavandula) and others.

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