False Baton Blue Butterfly - Pseudophilotes abencerragus

Phylum: Arthropoda - Class: Insecta - Order: Lepidoptera - Family: Lycaenidae

The False Baton Blue is

With a wingspan range from 1.8 to 2.2cm, the False Baton Blue can be seen on the wing in April and May. The males and females are quite similar in appearance: males have bluish-brown upper wings while females are a darker blue-tinged brown. Unlike the Baton Blue Pseudophilotes baton, there is no orange in the colouring of the underwings of the False Baton Blue.

Distribution

Not seen in Britain and Ireland, the False Baton Blue has a restricted distribution in parts of Spain, Portugal, North Africa, Egypt, Israel and Jordan.

Lifecycle

The Flse Baton Blue produces just one brood per year; its larval foodplants include Cleonia lusitanica (Cleonia is a monotypic genus in the family Lamiaceae) and various Thyme (Thymus) species.

Acknowledgements

This page includes pictures kindly contributed by Rob Petley-Jones.

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