BLUE ARGUS
This small butterfly has a wingspan of 24 to 32mm. The male has upper wings coloured a dirty, light blue, with a greyish border and a white outside edge. When I say it's dirty, the colour looks old, like faded paint. The fore wings also have a dark spot near the middle. The females, like most of the blue butterflies, has brown upper wings. The underside of the wings in both sexes is a light brown with black spots edged in white and orange spots along the edges tipped with black and white spots. The outer edge is white.
The blue argus is a mountain butterfly and can be found up to 2500m. They like scrubby meadows near woodland, grassy slopes, and gullies near the tree line. The blue argus can be seen from May until September, at which time it can produce up to 2 broods. The caterpillars prefer geranium plants, especially cranesbills.
