Blue Buckthorn

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Blue Buckthorn
Blue Buckthorn (Celastrina argiolus) ♀

Blue Buckthorn ( Celastrina argiolus ) ♀

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Bluebirds (Lycaenidae)
Subfamily : Lycaeninae
Genre : Celastrina
Type : Blue Buckthorn
Scientific name
Celastrina argiolus
( Linnaeus , 1758)
Blue Buckthorn ( Celastrina argiolus ) ♂
Alder buckthorn when eating
Loosestrife egg ( Lythrum salicaria )

The Holly Blue ( Celastrina argiolus ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) from the family of Gossamer (Lycaenidae).

features

butterfly

The blue alder is a small butterfly with a wingspan of only 20 to 30 millimeters , which is only found sporadically. Both males and females are colored blue. However, the blue color of the upper sides of the wings does not extend to the edge of the wing in the females. The dark edge on the upper side of the wing of the females is wider in the second generation than in the first generation. The moths are colored white-blue underneath and show an inconspicuous black markings.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are pale green with pink vertical stripes on the sides and on the back.

Flight time

Celastrina argiolus flies in two generations from April to September.

habitat

The alder blue is an inhabitant of many different habitats with a connection to deciduous trees. It can be found in light forests, on wide forest paths and on the edges of forests, but also in almost every garden and park in the residential area.

Way of life

The blue buckthorn hatches very early (April) in spring. The forage plants of the caterpillar are very diverse and different. In the garden he uses z. B. loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) standing in the sun near the pond. Further forage plants are currants ( Ribes ), buckthorn ( Rhamnus ), dwarf gorse ( Chamaecytisus ), lupins ( Lupinus ), blueberries ( Vaccinium ), vetches ( Vicia ), dogwood ( Cornus ), apple tree ( Malus ), prunus , knot oak ( Polygonum ), Oak ( Quercus ), strawberry trees ( Arbutus ) and buckthorn ( Frangula ), but also different types of clover such as B. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Pupation takes place close to the ground.

distribution

The moth is widespread across Europe and northwest Africa. It is rarely found in Northern Scandinavia and Ireland .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b W. Düring: Faulbaum-Bläuling. In: Butterfly in Rhineland-Palatinate. BUND RLP, January 8, 2018, accessed on April 17, 2020 (German).

literature

  • Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington: The butterflies of Europe and Northwest Africa . Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-440-07573-7 .
  • Hans-Josef Weidemann: Butterflies: observe, determine . Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg 1995, ISBN 3-89440-115-X .
  • Butterflies. 2. Special part: Satyridae, Libytheidae, Lycaenidae, Hesperiidae . In: Günter Ebert, Erwin Rennwald (eds.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 2 . Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1991, ISBN 3-8001-3459-4 .
  • Elizabeth Balmer: Butterflies: Recognizing and Identifying. Parragon Books Ltd., Cologne 2007 ISBN 978-1407512037 , p. 82

Web links

Commons : Faulbaum-Bläuling  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files