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Hi,

Recently visited Southwest Turkey, I have a couple of Blues that i'm unable to identify....
(The photos were taken in late May early June)

Any idea's?

Thanks.

Hi Rezamink,

It's hard to do blues without any view of the uppersides (I don't suppose you have any ups do you?) but here's a stab - and willing to be corrected.

The first one looks like Plebeius. It is a fresh male and no silver pupils are visible. It fits P. pylaon sephirus very well and that would be my suggestion.

The second one has a faint white wedge on the underside hindwing and a cell spot. Without seeing the upperside I'd very hesitantly suggest a form of female common blue, Polyommatus icarus. I'll have to come back on that one!

The last one also looks like Plebeius, but not pylaon this time! The very heavy branding immediately suggested Loew's blue (Plebeius loewii) to me but this is not a butterfly I am familiar with in real life.

I've just got back from holiday myself and am quite tired, so I'll take another look at these later. In the meantime, perhaps someone else will correct my first stabs.

Guy

Thanks for the id's.... unfortunately I didn't manage to get any decent 'upperside' photos....

I've attached a couple more photos of the same individual, but not sure if it's the same as species as the original posts....

Thanks again...

Lovely!

I think that is a female Loew's blue. My only caveat is that the European books don't cover Turkey comprehensively and so it might be some other, similar species of Plebeius that I don't know about. Since you were in the South-West, the chances are increased that it is a 'European' butterfly.

Nice catch!

Guy

Hi Guy,

Many thanks for the ID... I really appreciate it!

Damian