African grass blue - Zizeeria knysna

 

  

Family: Lycaenidae.

Flight Time: Feb - Oct.

Size: 20-24mm

Altitude: 0-100m
Underside The 'flower bed' blue. In Tenerife, above, these blues lived in flower beds around built up hotel complexes also I've seen them in Portugal in March, seemingly shunning 'natural' habitat, they frequented a grass lawn next to the swimming pool that was sprinkled every day. In central Spain, pictured above they frequented an area of short grass next to a track.

I also saw a few of these in a gorge in Southern Spain. Pictures below;

 

 

Underside. Upperside.

 

Fact File
Similar Species Foodplants Habitat Distribution

 

Medick Medicago

Hot sunny grassy areas.

African grass blue distribution
 

Early Stages

 

      
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