Purple Hairstreak?

[Martin]

It's got no line on the fore-wing...but what else can it be?

This was taken 3 days ago in Spain.



Martin.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Martin,

I think this is a False Ilex Hairstreak. See:

http://www.guypadfield.com/falseilexhairstreak.html

http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/specie ... s/pyr9.htm

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

I think Pete is spot on. The only species this can be confused with is the ilex hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis, which also flies in Spain. Ilex hairstreak generally has a deeper tone to the underside (variable), more prominent orange spots (also variable, because false ilex can have prominent spots) and, most significantly, noticeable black borders both internally and externally on the orange spots. The marginal white line on the hindwing is also more complete, but this is often unclear in faded butterflies. Yours is a fresh butterfly. Everything points to false ilex in my opinion. Here is a rather similar ilex hairstreak for comparison, photographed last year in Switzerland:

.

Notice the heavy black bordering the orange spots.

False ilex hairstreak is more widespread and commoner in Spain than ilex but both fly there. I think the most up to date atlas for European distributions is Kudrna's Distribution Atlas of European Butterflies: http://www.apollobooks.com/distribution.htm. This has more detail than most field guides.

Guy

[Martin]

Thank guys. I've been looking at the False Ilex in Lafranchis and decided it was the only alternative but wasn't sure. Appreciate your time.

Martin.

PS - also spotted Blue Spot Hairstreak among the23 spicies in a week