Short-tailed Blue (everes argiades) and Provencal Short-tailed Blue (everes alcetas)
2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
|
|
|
|
| 77-27_Dordogne_24May04 - argiades | 9154_male_Dordogne_14Aug07 - argiades | 0791_male_Alpes Maritimes_21May06 - alcetas |
|
|
|
|
| 9099_male_Dordogne_13Aug07 - alcetas | 9143_female_Dordogne_13Aug07 - alcetas | 9188_female_Dordogne_14Aug07 - alcetas |
|
|
||
| 02_517_Dordogne - alcetas |
It seemed to me that a few years ago, argiades was not uncommon especially in western France, although rarely in good numbers, and that alcetas was encountered only occasionally in the south. However, in the last few years, alcetas seems to have become more common and argiades quite rare. Argiades range, according to the Lafranchis France book is virtually the whole of France, but I have never seen it in the south-east departements of Var, the Alpes Maritimes or the Alpes de Haute Provence. In 2007 in the Dordogne, I did encounter alcetas in unusually large numbers in one location, and in several other locations as well, but saw only a couple of male argiades and only in one location.
The key differentiator is the marginal lunules on the unh – always present and sometimes quite pronounced in argiades but completely absent in alcetas. ANY orange markings, however small, indicates argiades and the longer tail (often vestigial in alcetas) is further confirmation of argiades.
77-27: argiades, showing the thicker black borders, and slight uph marginal black spotting typical of argiades, although this old photo has come out much deeper blue than it appears in real life.
9154: a male argiades underside, relatively lightly marked, with two quite pale orange unh lunules in s2 and s3. Altitude 70m.
0791: typical male alcetas although the black borders are rather thicker than normal.
9099: a fresh male alcetas underside, beautiful very pale ground colour and quite strong marginal marks. The unh marginal lunule in s2 has, untypically, a few orange scales, only visible in close-up. Altitude 80m.
9143: a female alcetas, with constant black-brown colouration, probably the darkest plain upperside of any species. Altitude 80m.
9188: a female alcetas, slightly fresher than 9143, almost black with no loss of scales as yet. Altitude 70m.
02_517: could be mistaken for a Small Blue (cupido minimus) but the "bump" of the very vestigial tail is a clue to alcetas.
9154_male_Dordogne_14Aug07 - argiades
0791_male_Alpes Maritimes_21May06 - alcetas
9099_male_Dordogne_13Aug07 - alcetas
9143_female_Dordogne_13Aug07 - alcetas
9188_female_Dordogne_14Aug07 - alcetas
