Three French blues for ID

[Matsukaze]

I saw these three blues on a road verge at Aleyrac (Drôme, SE France) on 8 June 2023 - limestone grassland amid downy oak woods/scrub - can anyone please help with the ID?

1) maybe male Escher's Blue - a largish, Adonis-sized/shaped blue - the poor second photo is included as it gives a hint of the upperwing colour.

2) I think one of the Plebejus spp - it was a particularly reluctant photographic subject, continuously moving and rarely settling at a helpful angle.

3) I think Provence Chalkhill Blue hispana, given the date.

[Padfield]

Hi Matsukaze. I agree with you. The first is absolutely right for escheri. The half-chequered fringe on the hindwing upperside and the heavy branding on the forewing underside suggest it is this, not thersites, the only other option. The second does seem to be Plebejus. In many ways, it looks like argyrognomon, but there's not enough orange on the forewing, so I'd suggest argus. It does seem very white for argus - maybe someone else will have a different view. Finally, as you say, I wouldn't expect to see coridon on 8th June, so I'd also go for hispana.

Guy

[Matsukaze]

Thanks Guy!

I wasn't in the area to look for butterflies, but can warmly recommend the hilly parts of southern Drôme to anyone looking for butterflies - plenty of them and unusual species too.