| Family | Lycaenidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Polyommatinae |
| Genus | Polyommatus |
| Species | nivescens |
| Authority | (Keferstein, 1851) |
| English Name | Mother-of-Pearl Blue |
| European Red List 2010 | Near Threatened (NT) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Near Threatened (NT) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
The Mother-of-pearl Blue occurs in flower-rich grasslands and on warm, dry chalk rocks with scattered patches of grassy vegetation and an occasional bush. The female lays her eggs on the leaves of Kidney-vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), seeming to prefer smaller plants. Other leguminous plants, such as clovers (Trifolium spp.) and birdsfoot-trefoils (Lotus spp.) are possibly also used as foodplants. The small caterpillars go into hibernation, and after feeding and growing further, they pupate at the end of the spring on the ground. The caterpillars are attended by ants of the species Tapinoma erraticum. The Mother-of-pearl Blue has one generation a year.
Spain / Spain: Mainland /