www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Help please
This was taken in the Picos Northern Spain in late June , it was flying with lots of Adonis Blues that had minute black marginal spots on hind-wing but only a few had this broad black border to the fore-wing , any help. John

Similar Adonis Blue with black marginal spots at the hindwings was snapped by me at Jankovice on May 23rd 2009.

Hi traplican
I have photos with Adonis with small spots on hind-wing it's the fore-wing spots and border I am confused by .John

I've never seen Adonis blues like this. The form caelestissima of chalk-hill blue is similar, but that is restricted to the Montes Universales.

Did you see any chalk-hill blues? What altitude did you see this at? Were the other Adonis blues equally fresh, or were they worn (the species is supposed to be bivoltine in Spain, and late June should be the end of the first brood)?

I would consider the possibility this is a hybrid - though you say there were others at the same site showing the same characters.

I would be interested if you could post as much detail as possible.

Guy

Hi Guy
I did not see any chalk-hill blues on this or any site in the Picos during my trip.The weather had been very bad for several weeks before we arrived with snow on the high ground 10days before, and I was told the butterflies were 2-3 weeks late. There were large numbers of fresh Adonis Blues with and without the small spots on the hind-wing but just a few with the broad band on the fore-wing on this site ,all the above photos were taken on the 20th of June. It was still very cold at night even with bright sun in the day time when we arrived, this meadow was at 600-700mt,most of these butterfies were sitting on a track in the sun. This is only my second trip abroad to see butterflies so I am very much a novice , and I am thankfull of any help with ID on this and many more butterflies. John