| Polyommatus damon | |
|---|---|
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| Polyommatus damon. Male, upperface | |
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| Polyommatus damon. Female, upperface | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Polyommatus |
| Species: | P. damon |
| Binomial name | |
| Polyommatus damon Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Polyommatus damon, the Damon blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Subspecies include: [1]
The Damon blue can be found in Central and Southern Europe (central Spain, Pyrenees, Alps, Balkans and the Carpathians) and across the Palearctic to Siberia, Mongolia and the Altai Mountains [1] This mountain species inhabits dry bushy or light woodlands and open grassy places at an elevation of 990–2,100 metres (3,250–6,890 ft) above sea level. [2] [3] [4]
Polyommatus damon has a wingspan of 20–34 mm. [2] These small butterflies present a sexual dimorphism. The upperside of the wings is shining blue in males, with broad black borders and prominent veins. The upperside of the wings is brown in females. The underface of wings is ocher or pale grey-brown with a series of brown-black spots surrounded by white. Hindwings shows a white streak in both sexes. Both sexes have also a white fringe. [2] [3] [5]
L. damon Schiff. (= biton Sulz.) (81 h). -male large, brilliant shy-blue with a greenish tinge, the margin broadly black, the bright brown underside with or without ocelli, but always with a sharply marked white mesial streak. Female dark brown, above sometimes without traces of reddish submarginal spots. Central and South Europe, throughout Anterior and Central Asia as far as the Tian-shan. – Specimens entirely without ocelli on the hindwing beneath are ab. gillmeri Krod. (= caeca Aign.) while individuals with the ocelli distorted into oval spots or streaks, produced by Krodel by low temperature, are ab. extensa Krod. In ab. agraphomaena Verity the white streak of the underside is obsolescent, while ab. ferreti Farre is a dwarfed form of the male with narrow border on the upperside. – Larva greenish yellow, finely and densely hairy, alternately striped with paler and darker green, the head being brownish and the side-line darker or paler ydlow; until June on Esparset. The ants are so much after it that the presence of some larvae in a breeding cage in a room is sufficient to bring into the house whole crowds of ants, which gather about the cages, sometimes as many as ten ants being found on one larva. Pupa ochreous, above greenish, darker along the back. The butterflies occur in July and August on fields of Sainfoin and do not venture far away from them. They are plentiful where they occur. [6]
The butterfly flies from June to August. The larvae feed on Onobrychis species and Medicago falcata . [1] Larvae are attended by ants ( Lasius niger , Lasius alienus , Formica pratensis ). [7] [8]
Named in the Classical tradition. Damon is a Pythagorean from Syracuse, whose history of relations with Phintias served as the plot of a number of poetic works.
The common blue butterfly or European common blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and subfamily Polyommatinae. The butterfly is found throughout the Palearctic and has been introduced to North America. Butterflies in the Polyommatinae are collectively called blues, from the coloring of the wings. Common blue males usually have wings that are blue above with a black-brown border and a white fringe. The females are usually brown above with a blue dusting and orange spots.
The brown hairstreak is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The range includes most of the Palaearctic.
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The chalkhill blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is a small butterfly that can be found throughout the Palearctic realm, where it occurs primarily in grasslands rich in chalk. Males have a pale blue colour, while females are brown. Both have chequered fringes around their wings.
The Adonis blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It inhabits the Palearctic realm.
Cyaniris semiargus, the Mazarine blue, is a Palearctic butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.
The purple-edged copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Polyommatus eros, the Eros blue or common meadow blue, is a species of blue butterfly found in the Palearctic.
The scarce large blue is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, northern Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine and East across the Palearctic to Japan. The species was first described by Johann Andreas Benignus Bergsträsser in 1779.
Coenonympha glycerion, the chestnut heath, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It can be found in Eastern Europe and east across the Palearctic to Siberia and the Caucasus to North Korea.
Plebejus argyrognomon, common name Reverdin's blue is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species is named after Jacques-Louis Reverdin.
Polyommatus amandus, the Amanda's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm.
Polyommatus daphnis, the Meleager's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Polyommatus escheri, Escher's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Southern Europe and Morocco.
Polyommatus dolus, the furry blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Spain, in France and Italy.
Polyommatus (Plebicula) dorylas, the turquoise blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Europe, Asia Minor, the Ural Mountains, Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Its wingspan is 15–17 mm. The butterfly's common name comes from the dazzling bright blue colour of male's wings. The larvae feed on Anthyllis vulneraria. The butterfly flies from May to September in two generations. Habitats include flowery meadows in rocky areas at 500–2000 m.
Polyommatus admetus, the anomalous blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper in 1783. It is found in south-eastern Europe and Turkey.
Polyommatus damone is a Palearctic butterfly in the Lycaenidae family.
Polyommatus iphigenia is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1847. It is found in the Balkans and Asia Minor.
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