Mazarine Blue

(Cyaniris semiargus)

Male 05/05/03 Rhône (69)

22/05/13 Rhône (69)

Group of males 06/05/03 Rhône (69)

Female 12/05/03 Rhône (69)

Female 01/05/09 Rhône (69)

Male 25/05/06 Rhône (69)

Male 25/04/07 Rhône (69)

Male 13/05/08 Rhône (69)

10/05/09 Rhône (69)

Female 21/09/11 Rhône (69)

Female 18/05/12 Rhône (69)

04/08/13 Rhône (69)

Fresh females of this species are a beautiful, chocolate brown. I have observed them ovipositing right in the centre of red clover (Trifolium pratense) flowers. The males can usually be identified by the dark veining on the uppersides. On the whole I find this butterfly to be quite widespread but very variable in abundance according to the sites and the years. I was fortunate in May 2003 to see dozens of males gathering over damp ground in a sunny footpath.