Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon)
Species

Male. Taken in the Vercors Natural Park, France, on July 22nd 2018.
(1/1250th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Male underside. Taken in the Vercors Natural Park, France, on July 22nd 2018.
(1/1600th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Description

Family: Polyommatinae

Wing span: 20 - 34mm

The male Damon Blue has pale shiny blue upperside, with broad black borders and prominent veins. Females have brown upper surfaces. The underside is ochre or pale grey-brown with a series of brown-black spots surrounded by white. Both sexes have a prominent white streak on the hindwing underside.

It is mainly a mountain species with a vast but sporadic distribution over central and southern Europe.

Typical habitats are neglected cultivations, dry scrub, forest clearings, and subalpine grassy slopes usually in calcareous terrain between 1000 and 2100m.

There is one brood in July and August.

Larvae feed on Sainfoins.

It is evaluated as Near Threatened in Europe.

Sightings

25-Jul-2018 : Vercors Natural Park, France
22-Jul-2018 : Vercors Natural Park, France