www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This time it's a female mountain alcon blue, Maculinea rebeli (considered a subspecies of alcon blue by some authors), pressing her eggs right in next to the growing shoot of cross gentian, Gentiana cruciata. These shoots grow quickly and before long eggs are found all over the upper leaves (which I presume grow out with the eggs on them, because I only ever see them lay next to the shoot).

The video is at http://www.guypadfield.com/movies/rebeli071.wmv.

Here is a picture taken last year of the upper leaves later on:



Guy

padfield wrote:These shoots grow quickly and before long eggs are found all over the upper leaves (which I presume grow out with the eggs on them, because I only ever see them lay next to the shoot).

Great video - and great observation! I've only ever seen them lay next to the shoots also (see below) - although this is an Alcon Blue (taken last year in Hungary).

Cheers,

- Pete

Nice to know that not only in Ukraine or other country Maculinea blues are serve as object for observation. Great pictures and video...

Hi Serhiy - and welcome to the forums,

You're our first member from the Ukraine as far as I know!

I encourage everyone to visit Serhiy's website at http://www.alexanor.uzhgorod.ua/

Cheers,

- Pete