Japanese Blues....

[rezamink]

Took these shots earlier this month in Tokyo hotel garden...

The Silver Studded Blue is subspecies 'micrargus', but I can't identify the other species.... can anyone help?

Unidentified Japanese Blue....

JapaneseBlueNo1.jpg (247.16 KiB) Viewed 875 times

Plebejus argus micrargus

JapaneseBlueNo2.jpg (202.03 KiB) Viewed 875 times

[Padfield]

Try Zizeeria maha. This is quite a variable butterfly but some pictures I've found on the web look extremely like your butterfly. Here is one, for example:



The copyright on that picture is not mine - the web page is http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~jy4t-kmn/ly ... 7my08m.jpg

Guy

[rezamink]

Thanks Guy for your help with this one....

I also found a really nice Skipper in the Hotel Garden which I think is Potanthus Flavum

Plus I found a 'Copper' which I believe is a small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas subspecies daimio), apparently this is the only species of 'Copper' in Japan.

Damian

Lycaena phlaeas subspecies daimio?

SmallCopper080625JP.jpg (213.04 KiB) Viewed 818 times

)

Potanthus Flavum?

PotanthusFlavum080625JP.jpg (215.38 KiB) Viewed 817 times

Potanthus Flavum?
Potanthus Flavum
Potanthus Flavum

PotanthusFlavum080625JPa.jpg (241.98 KiB) Viewed 816 times

[Padfield]

My book doesn't have the Hesperiidae, but this looks very like web pictures of flavum. I'd say that was a correct id!.


(http://www.aoi-hotyuuami.com/DSC_kimada ... i02271.jpg)

Guy

[rezamink]

Thanks again Guy for your help with the ID's...

Cheers

Damian

[rezamink]

I found this photo whilst looking through the Japanese 'Blues'.

It appears to be some sort of Holly Blue, however, there seems to be 4 or 5 species of 'Celastrina' in Japan....

Any idea's?

Thanks

Damian

JapanHollyBlue.jpg (209.6 KiB) Viewed 688 times

[Padfield]

As you know, I'm not knowledgeable about Japanese butterflies. But your picture does look good for the Japanese subspecies ladonides of C.argiolus:

http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/A09/BA30/ ... nides2.jpg

This list of Japanese butterflies (http://www004.upp.so-net.ne.jp/jamides/ ... Lycaenidae) gives 3 species as occurring, though there are several subspecies of sugitanii. The holly blue (argiolus) seems the commonest and that would be my default, since it looks right. What a pity we don't have any Japanese members!!

Guy

[rezamink]

Thanks Guy....

Oh well, quite a long way to go to get a photo of a 'Holly Blue'!!!!

Cheers

Damian