lysandra coridon/lysandra hispana

Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra coridon) and Provence Chalk-hill Blue (Lysandra hispana)

2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.


17970_male_Isere_11Jul09 - coridon	8937_male_Hautes Pyrenees_8Aug07 - coridon	13261_male_Valais, Switzerland_19Jul08 - coridon

8599_male_Var_27Jul07 - coridon	8907_male_Hautes Pyrenees_5Aug07 - coridon	12955_male_Valais, Switzerland_15Jul08 - coridon

8932_female_Hautes Pyrenees_8Aug07 - coridon	8925_female_Hautes Pyrenees_8Aug07 - coridon	05_24-21_female_Hautes Pyrenees_Jul05 - form corydonis

10173_male_Var_1May08 - hispana	13951_male_Var_27Aug08 - hispana	15399_male_Var_23May09 - hispana

15377_male_Var_23May09 - hispana	5412_female_Var_14May07 - hispana	10562_female_Var_15May08 - hispana

These two species can be difficult to tell apart, especially so from the female upperside. The male upperside of hispana is a rather duller silvery blue, often being rather yellowish at the margins. Coridon can be very variable, just to make things more difficult, but it is single-brooded and a relatively late emerger, even in the far south of France, so any specimens seen in May or early June will almost certainly be hispana, and this has been borne out by other indicators. There is a second generation of hispana later in the summer, when they do fly at the same time and locations, although hispana is on the wing into October. I have also found that the inner edge of the hispana unf lunules are often (usually/always?) larger and smudgily indistinct. Whether this holds up in all cases, I have yet to ascertain, but it has seemed consistent so far. The female coridon seen in the Pyrenees, especially at altitude, were quite often greyish rather than the usual brown, and the extent of the ups marginal lunules varied quite significantly.

17970: I am not really sure that this is coridon. The lack of blue tends to suggest that it may be hispana but the date and location point to coridon. The upf marginal markings are quite pronounced. Altitude 1120m.

8937: a more typical male coridon with strong dark borders and uph marginal spots. Altitude 1600m.

13261: a dark male coridon from high altitude, with wide dark borders extending into the veins. Altitude 2200m.

8599: this male coridon has quite a pale underside, especially the unh, but with strong orange lunules. Altitude 780m.

8907: a very pale male coridon underside especially in the basal area and unusually transitioning to a quite deep brown in the marginal areas. The markings are very light and the orange lunules uncharacteristically very thin, although quite distinct. Altitude 1500m.

12955: an unusually lightly marked male coridon. Altitude 1700m.

8932: a typical female coridon, quite dark brown and with relatively small uph marginal lunules. Altitude 1600m.

8925: a female coridon, quite deep brown, contrasted by the empty white discal mark, and with very reduced black markings. Altitude 1600m.

05_24-21: a dark grey female coridon of the form corydonis. I have seen dark grey females in the Pyrenees before, but none that was as markedly so as this. The upperside was also noticeably greyer.

10173: a typical male hispana, a distinctly yellow tinge to the blue. Altitude 185m.

13951: a male hispana with the typical smudgy unf marginal markings, as compared to coridon which always seems much cleaner. The unh marginal black spots have some silver scales in them, particularly in s1-3, which I have never seen before, nor have I ever seen it reported or written about in books. Comment invited. Altitude 185m.

15399: a very fresh male hispana, nicely and cleanly marked, and even the usually smudgy unf marginal markings look quite tidy. Altitude 140m.

15377: a quite pale and lightly marked male hispana. Altitude 140m.

5412: a female hispana, quite strong uph marginal lunules and even feint to vestigial orange upf submarginal marks. Altitude 185m.

10562: a female hispana, nicely marked on the unh, and with the unf smudgy forewing marginal marks with orange extending just about to the apex. Altitude 140m.

17970_male_Isere_11Jul09 - coridon