Turquoise Blue (Polyommatus dorylas)
Species

Male. Taken at Papaz Tchair, Bulgaria, on June 24th 2014.
(1/160th sec at f13. © David Hastings)

Male. Taken at Papaz Tchair, Bulgaria, on July 23rd 2015.
(1/800th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Female. Taken at Gracac, Croatia, on June 7th 2017.
(1/400th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Female. Taken at Gracac, Croatia, on June 7th 2017.
(1/640th sec at f14. © David Hastings)

Description

Family: Polyommatinae

Wing span: 30 - 34mm

The male has shiny sky-blue upper surfaces with a slight turquoise sheen. The females are brown. The underside is brownish-grey with broad white borders.

It has a scattered distribution in S and C Europe from Spain through Poland and the Balkans. It is evaluated a Near-Threatened

It can be found in scrubby calcareous grassland, flowery hillsides and sheltered hollows in alpine meadows up to 2200m.

It can have one or two broods per year, depending on altitude.

Its larvae feed on Anthyllis vulneraria.

Sightings

07-Jun-2017 : Gracac, Croatia

23-Jul-2015 : Papaz Tchair, Bulgaria

24-Jun-2014 : Papaz Tchair, Bulgaria