Blue ID please

kevling · Post by **kevling** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:03 am

I'm am finally coming to the end of identifying the species seen during my holiday in South of France. But there are a dozen or so Lycaenidae that I'm still uncertain about. If anyone can help, I would be most grateful.

Location: Gordalasque Valley (Parc Du Mecantour)
Date: Late July
Altitude: 1200 - 1500

1. The markings reminded me of Lycaena tityrus - Sooty Copper. Not sure about the overall colour though

2&3. My nearest guess is escheri - Escher's Blue

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my post and for any help provided.

Kind Regards Kev Ling

Chris Jackson · Post by **Chris Jackson** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 8:05 pm

Hi Kev,
I'll kick off with the easy option and suggest Brown Argus for No. 13.
Look at that spot in underside hind S6, it is distinctive

Cheers, Chris

kevling · Post by **kevling** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:51 pm

Thanks Chris for the Brown Argus ID.

Regards Kev

Chris Jackson · Post by **Chris Jackson** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:00 pm

Kev,
I would say that Nos. 8 to 12 are Common Blue. However, I may be mistaken.
Chris

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:07 pm

Hi Kev
I have been looking at your blues
no 1+7 I would say Large Blue (P.arion) look at the black spot on both wings in the sup marginal and outer marginal area
no 2+3 I would say Chapman´s Blue (P.thersites) no cell spot and the blue upperside and tinged with violet
no 13 agree with Brown Argus (A.agestis)
I will have a look at the other blue

regards
john
Denmark

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:15 pm

Hi
no 8+9 Common Blue male (P.icarus)
no 10 Common Blue female (P.icarus)
john

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:03 pm

Hi Kev
no 4+5+6 it is either Chalk-Hill Blue (P.coridon) or Provence Chalk-Hill Blue (P.hispanus) they are very difficult to separate, but normally hispanus is lighter in the ground colour and I would say that especial the forewing underside on your pictures (nearly white) indicate that it could be hispanus
regards
john

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:19 pm

Hi Kev
no 12 I would say Adonis Blue (P.bellargus)
no 11 could also be a Adonis Blue but I am absolutely not sure
regards
john

Roger Gibbons · Post by **Roger Gibbons** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:03 pm

Agree #1 tityrus
#2/3 escheri
#4/5/6 most likely coridon
#7 not arion, maybe escheri, but very hard to say with this degree of wear

Roger

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:24 am

When I spotted this butterfly I was sure it was an Argus or a small blue but it turned out to be a Common blue female. There are no Arguses in Northern Ireland and the small blue lacks the yellow wing spots.

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:28 am

Common Blue (Male)

PS What is the yellow plant in numbers 10 & 11 above. (Heres one I took earlier)

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:40 am

(VERY) Common Blues!

Roger Gibbons · Post by **Roger Gibbons** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:57 am

If it has blue scales, it is a female Common Blue (P. icarus), as Brown Argus (A. agestis) has no blue scales. It's a little bit more tricky when it is the brown form of female icarus, but there is usually some bluish tinge around the body. An underside view would be conclusive, as has been mentioned many times on this site.

Going back to Kev's #13, I agree it is agestis (just) - but at these altitudes Mountain Argus (A. artaxerxes) is fairly common and not easy to ID (from agestis) with only an underside view (there are clues from the upperside), but the forewing apex of artaxerxes is noticeably more pointed than agestis and that seems to be the case here (although you need a 90 degree side on view to be sure). Their altitude ranges overlap at around 1200m or so, although much higher or lower would be conclusive.

kevling · Post by **kevling** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:37 pm

Thanks to all replying.

Roger, your confirmation of tityrus has pleased my wife, who beat me to the ID for this one. A very nice species to see, as was escheri.

Here are the last couple for ID.

1. I'm thinking Chalkhill for this one.

2. Again could be Chalkhill, but did think of Eros too.

Regards Kev

David M · Post by **David M** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:49 pm

The latter is definitely not Eros, Kev.

I think Chalkhill for both looks favourite TBH.

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 11:25 am

I think this clinches it!!

David M · Post by **David M** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:33 pm

Which book is that, Aughie?

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 7:55 pm

The book I found this in is on page 58 of:

The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Butterflies & Moths By Sally Morgan MA
http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/w ... GwodtkMDGQ

David M · Post by **David M** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 9:00 pm

Thanks, Aughie. Hadn't seen that before.

Aughie · Post by **Aughie** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:48 pm

Ive discovered what that yellow flower is in pics 10 & 11 plus my own below its called a Birdsfoot-Trefoil, Common (Lotus corniculatus)

Seemingly the common blue needs this for its larve to feed on also wild thyme

Blue ID please

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