Male. Taken at Bansko, Bulgaria on July 26th 2015.
(1/800th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Description

Family: Polyommatinae

Wing span: 29 - 35mm

The Zephyr blues form an enigmatic species complex, which in Europe includes four distinct forms which are usually treated as separate species. The male has bright blue upper surfaces with some black dots along the black marginal border on the hindwing.

It has a scattered distribution in the Balkans, extending to Hungary and Turkey.

It is found in stony or sandy hot grassland spots, or scrub, usually in calcareous terrain between 500 and 2000m.

There is one brood between mid-May and July, depending on altitude.

Larvae feed on milkvetches (Astragalus spp).

Sightings

26-Jul-2015

:

Bansko, Bulgaria