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Please could I have advice on this Pyrgus from the Val du Giffre in France at about 900m... the photo numbers are so far apart I cannot be sure it is the same one in both photos. It was on the large side for Pyrgus, and I am stuck between alveus and armoricanus, though suspect the latter is more likely. I have the Pyrgus key Roger Gibbons pointed out a while ago, and his great site to refer to but still I can't decide through lack of experience.
thank you in anticipation

Hi Paul. Given that this is a male, I would rule out armoricanus. The upperside hindwing pattern is just not bright enough. It's a bit low for carlinae, a variable species that can cause confusion. I have to say, the underside is unusually orange for typical alveus, in CH at least, but overall, and especially on upperside jizz (upperside is spot-on alveus), I'd go for this.

Guy

Thank you Guy.... that's brilliant, I'm short of shots of alveus ! I had my suspicions but wasn't at all confident, hence my tending towards the other...