This impressive butterfly shares the status of Europe’s largest blue with its sibling species, the Iolas Blue (Iolana iolas), from which it was recently split. The current species inhabits Spain and Morocco, whilst the Iolas Blue inhabits southern France and further east towards Turkey. Its size alone makes it unmistakeable. It sticks quite closely to its foodplant, Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens), with both sexes preferring to nectar on its flowers, as well as bask on its leaves. It seems to exist in relatively low population densities.

Distribution: Restricted to central, eastern and southern Spain, although it is scarce in the south.

Flight Period: Flies in a single generation between early May and mid-June, typically peakind in mid-late May.

Habitat: Typically sunny areas of maquis, scrub and woodland edges where Bladder Senna grows in abundance.

Foodplants: Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens).

Nectar Sources: Adults seem to nectar almost exclusively on Bladder Senna.