Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)
Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)

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Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis)


Photo © Albert Vliegenthart
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
GenusGlaucopsyche
Speciesalexis
Authority(Poda, 1761)
English NameGreen-underside Blue
European Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
European Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
Habitats Directive
Bern Convention
CITES

Description

The Green-underside Blue is a pretty sight on both dry and damp flower-rich grassy vegetation, such as meadows and woodland clearings. The females lay their eggs between the flowers of different leguminous plants, including Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), brooms (Cytisus spp.), vetches (Vicia spp.), Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia), Genista spp., and melilots (Melilotus spp.). The caterpillars feed on the leaves and are frequently attended by the workers of various ants. Hibernation takes place as a pupa. The Green-underside Blue is single-brooded.

Distribution

Albania / Andorra (Possibly Present) / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Database Error: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Operation not permitted