Help with id for butterfly from UAE please

[Paul Harfield]

My brother lives in Dubai UAE. He does not report seeing many butterflies there, but occasionally finds a surprise on his balcony about 18 floors up. This one appeared there this morning. He did not manage an open wing shot but says it was dullish blue in colour and was approximately thumbnail sized.
Can anybody help with an id?

[Maximus]

Hi Paul,
Looks like the Cycad Blue, (Plains Cupid) Clades pandava, apparently a fairly recent arrival in UAE.

Mike.

[Paul Harfield]

Thanks for the id Mike. It looks like this particular species is becoming something of an unwelcome pest.

[Chris Jackson]

... this particular species is becoming something of an unwelcome pest.

It's welcome in my garden
It would brighten up this winter.

[David M]

...It would brighten up this winter.

Didn't realise you had one, Chris?

[Padfield]

A very recent arrival indeed - first records in 2014. The evidence seems to be that it will remain and thrive so I hope the Arabs will learn to live with it and enjoy it!

Lycaenids seem to be very good at colonising new countries by getting humans to introduce them inadvertently: the South African geranium bronze, now found all over southern Europe and the western pygmy blue, which somehow hopped from the United States to Oman, spring to mind. I wonder when the UK is going to get a new blue ...

Guy