Glaucopsyche alexis

Alexis Blue ( Glaucopsyche alexis ), male

The Alexis Blue ( Glaucopsyche alexis ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Lycaenidae ( Lycaenidae ).

• 4.1 Flight time
• 4.2 behavior

• 6.1 Notes and references
• 6.2 Literature

Features

The Alexis 's Blue is a relatively large Bluebird, which can be distinguished by the metallic green pollination on the gray wing underside of other species. The upper wing of the females are uniformly dark brown and may occasionally be dusted blue. The upper wing of the males are blue in color and have a black, white fringed edge.

Similar Species

• Glaucopsyche melanops ( Boisduval, 1828) South-West Europe
• Glaucopsyche paphos ( Chapman, 1920) is treated in some authors as a subspecies of Glaucopsyche melanops.

Dissemination

The Alexis 's Blue is used in almost all of Europe, including Fennoscandia, Corsica, Sicily, Corfu and other Greek islands. In Algeria, the species is only rarely and locally in appearance and indeed in Saida, Aflou, Batna, Khenchela, Coverdo, Col de Ben- Chiacao and Lambessa. In Tunisia, it occurs in the area around Hammamet. He lacks the Atlantic Islands, Portugal, West Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Northern Germany, the Baltic States, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Crete.

Habitat

The species is heat loving and preferably natural, lean areas especially on steep slopes.

Way of life

Flight time

The Alexis 's Blue flies in a brood from May to June. Under favorable climatic conditions, a partial second generation in late July and August can be formed.

Behavior

The caterpillar food plants include:

• Dyer's broom ( Genista tinctoria )
• Yellow sweet clover ( Melilotus officinalis)
• White sweet clover ( Melilotus alba)
• Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
• Sickle alfalfa (Medicago falcata)
• Astragalus ( Astragalus spp.)
• Usually - Buntkronwicke ( Securigera varia)
• Feed sainfoin ( Onobrychis viccifolia )
• Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca )

The caterpillars are usually greenish or dark pink and brown spotted and tend before pupation to a white adult plumage. The pupa overwinters. It is discussed in addition to a second partial generation, the possibility of wintering as a caterpillar, which is limited in Central Europe to the emperor chair and its surroundings.

The food plants of the moth currently covers only inadequate. Are known sainfoin, Common Fenugreek, horseshoe vetch, meadow pea and tragacanth. In addition, moths were also observed when sucking on moist soil or river sand.

Threats and conservation

• Red List BRD: 3

Swell