Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 20.xii.2023

Satyrium spini / Blue-spot Hairstreak
Bishtakja e kulumbrisë
Lycaenidae - Theclinae

Satyrium spini ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775). TL: Vienna.

1a. Satyrium spini, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Satyrium spini ♂ underside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Satyrium spini ♂ underside. Lekas, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Satyrium spini underside. Albania (©Lulëzim Shuka)
1e. Satyrium spini nectaring on Teucrium polium. Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)

Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 14-16 mm.
Hw: short tail on v2.
Ups: dark brown gc (if fresh)
Upf: small oval sex-brand, rarely with orange discal flush.
Uph: small orange submarginal spot at anal angle and often in s2.
Uns: paler brown-greyish gc, white postdiscal line (rarely bordered with some faint black scales) on fw and hw.
Unh: conspicuous shining blue mark at anal angle, few relatively small orange submarginal lunules.
♀♀
Slightly larger.
Hw: short tail on v2.
Ups:dark brown gc (if fresh)
Upf: often with faint orange discal mark.
Uns: paler brown gc, markings better defined.

Similar species

Satyrium acaciae Size:slightly smaller Satyrium. Upf: ♂♂ no sex-brand. Unh: continuous orange sm band  in s1a to s3. Unh: black marginal spot in s2. Unh: small blue mark. Abdomen: ♀♀ black anal tuft. Satyrium ilicis Size:slightly larger Satyrium. Upf: ♂♂ no sex-brand. Uns: gc darker brown. Unh: discontinuous orange sm spots, black bordered on both sides. Satyrium pruni Size:slightly smaller Satyrium. Upf: ♂♂ sex-brand. Uph: ♂♂ conspicuous orange sm markings. Unh: large orange sm band. Unh: sm band edged with black spots. Satyrium w-album Size:slightly larger Satyrium. Upf: ♂♂ sex-brand. Unh: distinctive w-shaped pd white line.

Life cycle
Adults: single generation from May to August depending on altitude.
Egg: overwintering on a twig of the foodplant.
Caterpillar: 35-41 days.
Pupa: 19-22 days.

Habitat
Satyrium spini inhabits warm rocky slopes in sheltered areas with scattered bushes from 500 up to 2000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirment modest, population density moderate.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed mainly on Rhamnus cathartica, also mentioned are Frangula alnus, Paliurus spina-christi, other Rhamnus sp. and Prunus sp.
Butterflies feed on honeydew and nectar of small flowers or flowers with superficial honey glands.

Distribution
Albania: widespread in the mountains.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE* - UK - SCA - EEU
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.

Conservation status
Satyrium spini is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.

Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps

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