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Scolitantides orion / Chequered Blue
Flatrakafeblujta
Lycaenidae - Polyommatinae
Scolitantides orion (Pallas, 1771). TL: E. Russia.
   
 
1a. Scolitantides orion, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Scolitantides orion ♂ underside. Fushe-Okol, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Habitat of Scolitantides orion. Vig, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Scolitantides orion ♂ upperside, blue form. Albania (© Eddy Oorthuysen)
1e. Scolitantides orion ♂ lateral. Albania (© Eddy Oorthuysen)
1f. Scolitantides orion ♂ lateral, dark form. Albania (© Eddy Oorthuysen)
Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 13-16 mm.
Ups: dull grey blue gc, heavily white-black checkered fringes.
Upf: prominent black discal spot, blue basal flush, submarginal lunules brightly blue outlined.
Uph: submarginal lunules brightly blue outlined.
Uns: whitish-pale grey gc, large black spots.
Unh: prominent orange submarginal band.
♀♀
Slighly larger.
Ups: dull darker dull grey-black gc, heavily white-black checkered fringes.
Upf: black discal spot, faint or absent blue basal flush, submarginal lunules brightly blue outlined.
Uph: submarginal lunules brightly blue outlined.
Similar species
None.
Life cycle
Adults: two generations from April to early June and from early July to August (second generation sometimes partial)
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: short stage.
Pupa: overwintering.
Habitat
Scolitantides orion inhabits dry, rocky grasslands with scattered shrubs with open stony areas, mostly on limestone but also observed in ophiolite areas from lowland up to 1500 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement modest, population density moderate to low.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Sedum sp.
Butterflies feed mostly on flowers of the caterpillars foodplant or low flowers in the vicinity of Sedum.
Distribution
Albania: widespread in the Northern Albanian Alps, local in other mountain areas.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP* - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA* - EEU*
Local in Asia Minor and further east.
Conservation status
Scolitantides orion is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: VU.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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