Keferstein, 1851
Mother-of-pearl Blue
Description:
The Mother-of-pearl Blue occurs in flower-rich grasslands and on warm, dry chalk rocks with scattered patches of grassy vegetation and an occasional bush.
The female lays her eggs on the leaves of Kidney-vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), seeming to prefer smaller plants. Other leguminous plants, such as clovers (Trifolium spp.) and birdsfoot-trefoils (Lotus spp.) are possibly also used as food plants.
The small caterpillars go into hibernation, and after feeding and growing further, they pupate at the end of the spring on the ground. The caterpillars are attended by ants.
The Mother-of-pearl Blue has one generation a year.
Habitat:
Dry calcareous grasslands
Sclerophyllous scrub
Inland cliffs and exposed rocks
Similar species:
Polyommatus golgus
Polyommatus thersites
Polyommatus dorylas