Blue grouse

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Blue grouse
Male of the common red grouse (Polyommatus icarus)

Male of the common red grouse
( Polyommatus icarus )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Bluebirds (Lycaenidae)
Subfamily : Lycaenidae
Genre : Polyommatus
Type : Blue grouse
Scientific name
Polyommatus icarus
( Rottemburg , 1775)
pairing
Females suckling nectar (video, 53 sec.)
male
Gynander

The Common Blue ( Polyommatus icarus ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) from the family of Gossamer (Lycaenidae). It is the most common and widespread species in its family and is therefore also known as the common blue . The specific epithet is derived from Icarus , the son of Daidalos from Greek mythology .

features

The blue-hackle has a wingspan of 25 to 30 millimeters. This species also has the sexual dimorphism that is common in butterflies , that is, males and females look very different. While males show a strong, slightly violet blue on the upper side, the female has an inconspicuous brown color on the upper side with a variable blue component and orange spots on the outer wing edges of the hind wings. On the underside, both sexes are colored gray-brown with black, white-rimmed spots and orange spots on the wing edge. Gynanders are rare, animals that have cells with female genes as well as others with male cells. A special feature is the half-sided gynander, which has half male cells and half female cells.

The caterpillars are green with a pale green pattern and studded with bristles and up to 13 millimeters long. The shape is compact, it narrows towards the rear end.

Similar species

distribution and habitat

It colonizes all of Europe , North Africa and Asia , in the Alps it rises to an altitude of 2000 meters. The habitat of Polyommatus icarus includes open areas that can be moist to dry. These include flowering, not over-fertilized oat meadows on embankments, dams and in the fields. Humid locations such as cabbage thistle and flat moor meadows are also settled.

Flight time

The moth flies from late April to October. Under Central European climatic conditions, two, more rarely (e.g. in the Upper Rhine Plain ), three generations are formed.

Way of life

Polyommatus icarus lay eggs on various species of clover and alfalfa. Eggs are preferably laid on small, light-standing or freshly mown plants. The eggs are laid on top of leaves, but also in the flower of clover or alfalfa. When foraging for food, the moths prefer to visit different species of clover. The overwintering takes place in the caterpillar stage.

The caterpillar forage plants include:

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe . tape 1 . E. Schweitzerbartsche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1908, p. 64 .
  2. ↑ Elizabeth Balmer: Butterflies: Recognize and Determine. Parragon Books Ltd., 2007, ISBN 9781407512037 , p. 92
  3. ↑ Elizabeth Balmer: Butterflies: Recognize and Determine. Parragon Books Ltd., 2007, ISBN 9781407512037 , p. 82
  4. ↑ Alina Schadwinkel: Butterflies in Europe - blue, but not mean: Polyommatus celina , on: Spektrum.de from June 16, 2020
  5. ↑ a b 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 .
  6. ↑ a b W. Düring: Hauhechel-Bläuling. In: Butterfly in Rhineland-Palatinate. BUND RLP, March 16, 2020, accessed on April 18, 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 .
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 1: Butterfly. 4th enlarged edition. Neumann, Radebeul / Berlin 1966, DNB 457244224 .

Web links

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