Silver-studded blue

Last updated

Silver-studded blue
Silver-studded blue (Plebeius argus) male.jpg
Male, Hampshire, England
Silver-studded blue (Plebejus argus) female underside Bulgaria.jpg
Female, Bulgaria
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Plebejus
Species:
P. argus
Binomial name
Plebejus argus
Synonyms
  • Lycaena argus

The silver-studded blue (Plebejus argus) is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It has bright blue wings rimmed in black with white edges and silver spots on its hindwings, lending it the name of the silver-studded blue. P. argus can be found across Europe and east across the Palearctic, but it is most often studied in the United Kingdom where the species has experienced a severe decline in population due to habitat loss and fragmentation. [1]

Contents

P. argus engages in mutualism with ants that contribute to the butterflies' reproductive fitness by providing protection from predation and parasitism from the point of egg laying to their emergence as adults. [2] [3] P. argus adults emerge at the end of June and beginning of July and engage in flight until the beginning of August. [1] [4]

The butterfly is adaptable to different habitats and is found in heathland, mossland, and limestone grassland. [1] [5] Tending towards a sedentary lifestyle and typically flying less than 20 metres (66 ft) a day, P. argus maintains a small radius home range. [6] Their habitats lend themselves well to both foraging and egg laying as the host plants are ubiquitous in all three environments they occupy. [6] [1]

Appearance

Adult

Male P. argus have royal blue wings with a black border, white, wispy fringe, and metallic silver spots on the hindwings as well as spurs on their front legs. Females of this species are generally brown and more subdued in color, but also have the metallic spots on the hindwings. The undersides of the male and female butterflies are very similar. They are taupe in color, with rings of black spots along the edge of the wing.

Description in Seitz

L. argus L. ([equals] aegon Schiff., argyrotoxus Bgstr.) (78 c). This and the following species [ argyrognomon ] have in the anal area of the hindwing beneath on the black submarginal dots situated between the median branches and the submedian vein some metallic glittering scales which are usually not represented in our figures. The upperside is deep dark blue, with a broad black border, argus is very similar to argyrognomon, but differs in quite a number of details, of which in the various individuals sometimes one sometimes another is more conspicuously developed. On the upperside the blue gloss is deeper, darker, duller, with a slight violet tint and not so far extended to the margin, the latter being broader and appearing blacker; the row of dark submarginal dots which occasionally appear on the hindwing above in both species, therefore stands always in the black border in argus. On the underside both sexes of argus have nearly always a strongly glittering blue-green dusting at the base of the wings, which is usually absent from argyrognomon; but we must add that also the inverse occurs, the blue basal dusting being absent from argus in exceptional cases and strongly marked in argyrognomon. As a rule argus L., moreover, is somewhat smaller than argyrognomon, but the size varies considerably according to the altitude of the locality and the various broods.

— ab. valesiana M.-Durr is frequently found among specimens from the Valais (but not exclusively and not constantly); it is distinguished by a yellowish grey underside and very small ocelli. ab. corsica Bell., on the other hand, is a form which flies regularly in the mountains of Corsica and differs in the ocelli of the underside bearing pupils of the ground-colour and having larger borders, which almost form pale rings on a grey-brown ground. This form occurs as an exception everywhere, having been obtained by Standen even in Norway. Females which are nearly as blue above as the males are not very rare in certain localities, especially among the summer-broad, this is ab. coerulescens Peters ([equals] pseudocallarga Neustetter).

— A constant form is hypochiona Rbr. (78 d, ground-colour too dull), from the most southern very sunny districts of Europe (Ionian Islands, Greece, Andalusia); underside rather pale, the black eye-dots small and placed in large pale halos, before the margin a row of bright red spots. Similar individuals are occasionally also found in other districts, e. g. at Digne and according to Jones even in England.

— A very large form is insularis Leech (78 d), from the north-island of Japan; its underside resembles hypochiona in its light pure ground-colour, but bears abundant and prominent black spots. Above the marginal spots of the hindwing are especially very distinct.

— Also bella H.-Sch. (78 d, e) is placed by Staudinger and Rebel as a variety of argus; it is a small form, which resembles hypochiona beneath, but is very dark above, with very thin red-yellow submarginal spots on the upperside of the hindwing, which are unfortunately not visible in our figure 78 d, the hindwing beneath bearing paler marginal spots; from the shores of the Black Sea, Armenia and Persia.

— Perhaps also iburiensis Btlr. [ now full species Plebejus iburiensis (Butler, [1882])]belongs here; it is unknown to me in nature and was described from one specimen from Hokkaido; it appears to be a kind of albino of insularis.

— Very small specimens, as they are found especially in Valais, are alpina Berce; exceptionally large specimens were obtained by Chapman at Bejar in Spain and named by him bejarensis [now subspecies].

— The form micrargus Btlr. [now subspecies] from Tokio, which is quite unknown to me, is said to have the lilac colour of argia, with the black margin dentate and the fringes very bright white; beneath in colour like pylaon, the spots as in argus, but without the metallic scales on the anal spots.

— pseudaegon Btlr. [now full species Plebejus pseudaegon (Butler, [1882])], from the north-island, is smaller than argus, with the black margin narrower, the white fringes thinner, and the black distal marginal spots of the hindwing above smaller, female very feebly dusted with steel-blue at the base, underside more extended green than in true argus and its ocelli smaller. Likewise unknown to me.

— Sometimes there occurs a basal dot on the underside; this is ab. unipuncta Mousley. In ab. coeruleocuneata Ebert there appear blue wedge-shaped submarginal spots on the upperside of the hindwing.

— Larva very variable, usually light green with dark dorsal spots, sometimes however grey or dark brown with pale spots. In June and the autumn on various plants, such as Coronilla, Trifolium, Colutea, and Genista, said to occur also on Erica, Ornithopus, Fragaria, Thymus and other plants. Near or upon the larva there is a guard of ants, usually specimens of Formica cinerea Mayr. The larva as well as the chrysalis are found in the nests of this ant. Pupa elongate, green with red dorsal line; abdomen above yellowish green. The butterflies are on the wing in May and again from July onwards, but are said to have only one brood in the north. They are common everywhere, especially on sandy soil, which also its ant prefers, but is said to noticeably decrease recently in numbers in some districts (e. g. in England). The form alpina I found in large numbers in Valais below Zermatt towards evening in stony localities where they were at rest in small bushes; I counted 38 sleeping specimens in a small thornbush, all having the small size of the form of that neighbourhood. [7]

Figs 3 larva before last moult, 3a larva after last moult, 3b pupa The larvae of the British butterflies and moths BHL41107833.jpg
Figs 3 larva before last moult, 3a larva after last moult, 3b pupa

Larvae

The caterpillar of P. argus is green with a dark stripe along the length of its body and can reach 1.3 centimeters in length.

Sexual dimorphism

P. argus exhibit sexual dimorphism, as evidenced by the color of their wings. This eventually acts as an important visual cue when searching for suitable mates. Experiments have shown that species that have overlapping habitat distribution and are of similar color (according to the human eye) have distinct absorbance values within the UV range. This shows that the UV range colors are important for butterflies when recognizing members of its own species. [8]

Geographic range

P. argus is found across the Palearctic. [5] In the United Kingdom, the butterfly experienced a severe decline in population during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. [1] P. argus is generally considered to be endangered and extinct in the Northern United Kingdom and are primarily found in the Southern and Western portions of the United Kingdom. [1]

Habitat

P. argus resides in heathland, mossland, and limestone grassland. [5]

Heathlands are able to meet the needs of P. argus due to burning, cutting, and other disruptions of mature heaths. [9] [5] With these disruptions, the habitat becomes conducive to habitation by P. argus because of the high cover of E. cinerea and short C. vulgaris that is able to form a landscape with the patches of bare ground. This is characteristic of heathland at an early stage of development. [1] [9] This environment is suitable until the point at which the shrubs native to the environment mature and obscure the bare ground and vegetation margins that the butterflies use for oviposition.

Mossland, similar in nature to wet heathland, has soil primarily composed of peat which supports one of the families of host plants of P. argus, Ericaceae. This host plant grows alongside other grasses, sedges, and rushes. While the main disturbance to heathland is quarrying, mossland faces peat digging which contributes to the transient and shifting nature of this particular habitat. [5]

The hostplants of the first two environments, Ericaceae and Leguminosae, are less present in the third environment, limestone grassland. [9] In this environment, the host plants of P. argus are primarily herbaceous Cistaceae as well as Leguminosae. [9] In limestone grassland, the bare ground and vegetation margins instrumental to the life cycle of P. argus are created through grazing by other animals as well as by disruption of the habitat by natural disturbance of the stoney topography of this environment.

P. argus use shrubs for roosting, resting, basking, mate location, and shelter and for this reason, they tend to be found in higher numbers close to locations that are dense in shrubs. Most of the population gathers around these shrubs during weather that is colder, cloudy, and windier. [10] When the weather is warm, sunny, and the breeze is still, P. argus spends less time in shrub dense habitats and more time in flight and finding host plants in areas rich in calcareous heath. These areas tend to be on exposed hillsides. For this reason, it often appears that the habitat of P. argus shifts with weather conditions. [10]

In addition to choice of habitat due to host plants and topography, P. argus density correlates with the densities of nest of the butterflies' mutualist ants, Lasius niger and Lasius alienus . [3]

Home range and territoriality

Adult P. argus tend to be very sedentary, only moving around 20 metres (66 ft) every day. [6] For this reason, the butterflies colonize on discrete territory and patches of land. Some butterflies, though, disperse and move over a kilometer between colonies. This is rare, however, as these butterflies tend to form metapopulations. [6]

Food resources

Caterpillars and larvae

Different types of P. argus larvae choose different host plants. The limestone larvae, caernensis, preferentially select Helianthemum species over heathers as a host plant, while heathland larvae select heathers over Helianthemum . [1] [11]

Adult diet

Adults feed on nectar. [11]

Parental care

Plebeius argus egg Plebeius argus egg.jpg
Plebeius argus egg

Oviposition

P. argus lays its eggs differently based on its environment. In heathland, they lay their eggs at the base of Erica tetralix , Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea , and Ulex europaeus . [12] In mosslands, the butterflies tend to lay their eggs on the underside of the fronds of the Bracken Fern. This fern appears to be preferential for oviposition because they attract ants. In limestone grasslands, P. argus lays eggs at the stem of Lotus corniculatus and at the base of Helianthemum chamaecistus. [12]

Egg guarding

Egg guarding primarily occurs through mutualism with the ants Lasius niger and Lasius alienus . [2] [3] Mothers lay their eggs in locations with strong pheromonal traces from these organisms. From the time of oviposition to hatching, L. niger and L. alienus protect the eggs from predation and parasitism by other organisms. In return, the ants feed on a saccharine secretion produced by glands on the larvae. [2] [3]

Life history

Life cycle

The life cycles of Plebejus argus are divided into four main stages: eggs, larvae, pupa, and adults.

Adult Silver Studded Blue butterfly (9126228121).jpg
Adult

Larva

Larvae usually spend the day in the nests of the ants. This helps them avoid predation and high temperatures, especially in the hot summer months. They come out at night and climb the host plant in order to feed. [13]

Adult

P. argus adults emerge in the end of June and beginning of July and engage in flight into the beginning of August. [1] [4] In these butterflies, there is a sex difference in emergence, with males emerging four to nine days earlier than females. [1] As colony size increases, P. argus are temporally recorded earlier in the year. Additionally, as colony size increases, female emergence happens over a greater range of time and there is a greater discrepancy between emergence of the males and emergence of the females. [1]

The adult butterfly lives only for about 4-5 days, and just a few weeks of rain during the mating season could wipe out entire colonies. [14]

Subspecies

Mating

When a male detects a female sitting quiescently, he flies towards the female. [15] As he approaches the female, he flutters his wings in broad sweeping movements and she raises her abdomen while vibrating her half-open wings in a mate refusal posture. The female then flies away and is followed by the male. Once she lands, the male flutters around, either in the air before descending or after landing. [15] The female displays a receptive posture by folding her wings after which the male positions himself parallel to the female before bending his abdomen, spreading the valves, and exposing the copulatory apparatus. He proceeds to attach to the copulatory apparatus and the butterflies reorient themselves into the copulatory position. The intermediate aspects of sexual chase depend on the sexual receptiveness of the female to the advances of the male. [15]

Mutualism

P. argus lays eggs near nests of Lasius niger , the ant with which they form a mutualistic relationship. [2] [3] This mutualistic relationship benefits the adult butterfly by reducing the need for parental investment. Once the eggs hatch, the ants chaperone the larvae, averting the attacks of predatory organisms like wasps and spiders as well as parasites. In return, the ants receive a saccharine secretion fortified with amino acids from an eversible gland on the larvae's back. As first instar larvae prepare to pupate, the ants carry the larvae into their nests. [3] [2] Once the larvae become pupae, the ants continue to provide protection against predation and parasitism. The butterfly leaves the nest when it emerges in June.

Conservation

Habitat loss

P. argus has undergone habitat loss and fragmentation in the United Kingdom due to the development of industrial agriculture, new forestry practices, and landscape development. [1] [16] Additionally, the percentage of heathland has decreased by over fifty percent in the United Kingdom, greatly affecting the butterflies for which this was a primary habitat. [1] The heathland that remained was reduced in quality due to shifting environmental influences. [16] Rabbits helped keep vegetation short through grazing which was conducive to habitation by P. argus, but in the middle of the twentieth century, a virus, Myxomatosis, caused a significant decline in the population of rabbits and therefore the grass length grew to a point that was no longer conducive to the butterflies. [9] [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large blue</span> Species of butterfly

The large blue is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first defined in 1758 and first recorded in Britain in 1795. In 1979 the species became mostly extinct in Britain but has been successfully reintroduced with new conservation methods. The species is classified as "near threatened" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Today P. arion can be found in Europe, the Caucasus, Armenia, western Siberia, Altai, north-western Kazakhstan and Sichuan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black garden ant</span> Species of ant

The black garden ant, also known as the common black ant, is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, which is found across Europe and in some parts of North America, South America, Asia and Australasia. The European species was split into two species; L. niger, which are found in open areas; and L. platythorax, which is found in forest habitats. It is monogynous, meaning colonies contain a single queen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common blue</span> Species of butterfly

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. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great purple hairstreak</span> Species of butterfly

The great purple hairstreak, also called the great blue hairstreak, is a common gossamer-winged butterfly species in parts of the United States. It is actually a Neotropical species; its North American range only includes the warm-temperate and subtropical parts of that continent, and it ranges southwards almost to the Isthmus of Panama. The type specimen, however, was shipped to Europe from the Colony of Virginia, probably around the time of the United States Declaration of Independence.

<i>Pyrgus malvae</i> Species of skipper butterfly genus Pyrgus

Pyrgus malvae, the grizzled skipper, is a butterfly species from the family Hesperiidae. It is a small skipper (butterfly) with a chequered pattern on its wings that appears to be black and white. This butterfly can be found throughout Europe and is common in central and southern regions of England. The butterfly prefers three major types of habitat: woodland, grassland, and industrial. Referenced as a superspecies, Pyrgus malvae includes three semispecies: malvae, malvoides, and melotis. Eggs are laid on plants that will provide warmth and proper nutrition for development. As larvae, their movement is usually restricted to a single plant, on which they will build tents, unless they move onto a second host plant. Larvae then spin cocoons, usually on the last host plant they have occupied, where they remain until spring. Upon emerging as adult butterflies, grizzled skippers are quite active during the day and tend to favour blue or violet-coloured plants for food. They also possess multiple methods of communication; for example, vibrations are used to communicate with ants, and chemical secretions play a role in mating. Exhibiting territorial behaviour, males apply perching and patrolling strategies to mate with a desired female.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karner blue</span> Endangered species of butterfly in northeastern United States

The Karner blue is an endangered species of small blue butterfly found in some Great Lakes states, small areas of New Jersey, the Capital District region of New York, and southern New Hampshire in the United States. The butterfly, whose life cycle depends on the wild blue lupine flower, was classified as an endangered species in the United States in 1992.

<i>Aricia agestis</i> Species of butterfly

Aricia agestis, the brown argus, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found throughout the Palearctic realm, north to northern Jutland (Denmark) and east to Siberia and the Tian Shan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chalkhill blue</span> Species of butterfly

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adonis blue</span> Species of butterfly

The Adonis blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It inhabits the Palearctic realm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly blue</span> Species of butterfly

The holly blue is a butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family and is native to the Palearctic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grayling (butterfly)</span> Species of butterfly

The grayling or rock grayling is a species in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. Although found all over Europe, the grayling mostly inhabits coastal areas, with inland populations declining significantly in recent years. The grayling lives in dry and warm habitats with easy access to the sun, which helps them with body temperature regulation.

<i>Phengaris alcon</i> Species of butterfly

Phengaris alcon, the Alcon blue or Alcon large blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae and is found in Europe and across the Palearctic to Siberia and Mongolia.

<i>Lampides boeticus</i> Species of butterfly

Lampides boeticus, the pea blue, or long-tailed blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or gossamer-winged family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarce large blue</span> Species of butterfly

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.

<i>Plebejus argyrognomon</i> Species of butterfly

Plebejus argyrognomon, common name Reverdin's blue is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species is named after Jacques-Louis Reverdin.

<i>Plebejus idas</i> Species of butterfly

Plebejus idas, the Idas blue or northern blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It belongs to the subfamily of Polyommatinae.

<i>Polyommatus amandus</i> Species of butterfly

Polyommatus amandus, the Amanda's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm.

<i>Polyommatus damon</i> Species of butterfly

Polyommatus damon, the Damon blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.

<i>Lycaena rubidus</i> Species of butterfly

Lycaena rubidus, the ruddy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America. Adults lay their eggs on plants of the genus Rumex, which later become the larval food plants. This butterfly gets its name from the brightly colored wings of the males, which are important in sexual selection. Its larvae exhibit mutualism with red ants, and are often raised in ant nests until they reach adulthood. Adults are on wing from mid-July to early August.

<i>Lasius alienus</i> Species of ant

Lasius alienus, or cornfield ant, is a species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae. Workers have a length of about 2–4 mm, Queens are larger (7–9 mm).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ravenscroft, N.O.M. (1990). "The ecology and conservation of the silver-studded blue butterfly Plebejus argus L. on the sandlings of East Anglia, England". Biological Conservation. 53 (1): 21–36. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(90)90060-3.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Jordano, D.; Rodríguez, J.; Thomas, C. D.; Haeger, J. Fernández (1992-09-01). "The distribution and density of a lycaenid butterfly in relation to Lasius ants". Oecologia. 91 (3): 439–446. Bibcode:1992Oecol..91..439J. doi:10.1007/BF00317635. ISSN   0029-8549. PMID   28313554. S2CID   24595419.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Seymour, Adrian S.; Gutiérrez, David; Jordano, Diego (2003-10-01). "Dispersal of the lycaenid Plebejus argus in response to patches of its mutualist ant Lasius niger". Oikos. 103 (1): 162–174. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0706.2003.12331.x . ISSN   1600-0706.
  4. 1 2 Thomas, C. D. (1991-09-01). "Spatial and temporal variability in a butterfly population". Oecologia. 87 (4): 577–580. Bibcode:1991Oecol..87..577T. doi:10.1007/BF00320423. ISSN   0029-8549. PMID   28313702. S2CID   28033599.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Dennis, Roger L.H.; Sparks, Tim H. (2006). "When is a habitat not a habitat? Dramatic resource use changes under differing weather conditions for the butterfly Plebejus argus". Biological Conservation. 129 (3): 291–301. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.043.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Thomas, C.D.; Harrison, S. (1992). "Spatial Dynamics of a Patchily Distributed Butterfly Species". Journal of Animal Ecology. 61 (2): 437–446. doi:10.2307/5334. JSTOR   5334.
  7. ↑ Seitz, A. in Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen Tagfalter, 1909, 379 Seiten, mit 89 kolorierten Tafeln (3470 Figuren) PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  8. ↑ Piszter, Gábor; Kertész, Krisztián; Bálint, Zsolt; Biró, László Péter (2016-11-10). "Variability of the Structural Coloration in Two Butterfly Species with Different Prezygotic Mating Strategies". PLOS ONE. 11 (11): e0165857. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1165857P. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165857 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   5104395 . PMID   27832120.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Thomas, C. D. (1985-08-01). "Specializations and polyphagy of Plebejus argus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in North Wales". Ecological Entomology. 10 (3): 325–340. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.1985.tb00729.x. ISSN   1365-2311. S2CID   86813755.
  10. 1 2 Cormont, Anouk; Malinowska, Agnieszka H.; Kostenko, Olga; Radchuk, Victoria; Hemerik, Lia; WallisDeVries, Michiel F.; Verboom, Jana (2011-03-01). "Effect of local weather on butterfly flight behaviour, movement, and colonization: significance for dispersal under climate change". Biodiversity and Conservation. 20 (3): 483–503. doi: 10.1007/s10531-010-9960-4 . ISSN   0960-3115.
  11. 1 2 Thomas, C. D.; Glen, S. W. T.; Lewis, O. T.; Hill, J. K.; Blakeley, D. S. (1999-02-01). "Population differentiation and conservation of endemic races: the butterfly, Plebejus argus". Animal Conservation. 2 (1): 15–21. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.1999.tb00044.x. ISSN   1469-1795.
  12. 1 2 Fernández Rodríguez, Pilar; Gutiérrez, David; Fernandez Haeger, Juan; Jordano Barbudo, Diego (September 2015). "Host plant selection in Plebejus argus (Linnaeus, 1758) and its mutualistic ant. The role of plant architecture (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) (PDF Download Available)". Shilap. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  13. ↑ Fernández, P.; Gutiérrez, D.; Fernández-Haeger, J.; Jordano, D. (2016). "Host plant selection in Plebejus argus (Linnaeus, 1758) and its mutualistic ant. The role of plant architecture (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)". SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología. 44 (174). ISSN   0300-5267.
  14. ↑ Kalaher, Martin, Silver-studded Blue in Sussex, The Wildlife Trusts, retrieved 2022-12-31
  15. 1 2 3 Lundgren, Lennart; Bergström, Gunnar (1975-12-01). "Wing scents and scent-released phases in the courtship behavior ofLycaeides argyrognomon (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 1 (4): 399–412. doi:10.1007/BF00988581. ISSN   0098-0331. S2CID   37093578.
  16. 1 2 Dennis, Roger L. H. (2004-03-01). "Just how important are structural elements as habitat components? Indications from a declining lycaenid butterfly with priority conservation status". Journal of Insect Conservation. 8 (1): 37–45. doi:10.1023/B:JICO.0000027496.82631.4b. ISSN   1366-638X. S2CID   27114759.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.