English name:
Small Blue
Full scientific name:
Cupido minimus (Fuessly, 1775)
Croatian name:
Mali strjeličar
Flight Period and Life Cycle
1-2 broods per year.
Distribution in Croatia
Entire territory. Check the included map.
External Morphology Characteristics
Cupido minimus is one of the smallest butterflies in Croatia. The underside of the wings is greyish with the bluish tint in the basal zone. There is a series of black spots in the postdiscal zone of both wings. The upper side of both wings is dark with a bit of bluish tint in the basal zone of males. Females of C. minimus and C. osiris share similarities in their external morphology and it is not possible to distinguish them reliably. If we find a female that stays and lays eggs on the host plant, it is possible to distinguish the two species more easily. C. osiris‘s host plant is Onobrychis viciifolia.
Behavior
It often rests on grass and leaves of bushes.
Caterpillar Host Plants
Family legume (Fabaceae) like Anthyllis vulneraria, Astragalus, Melilotus, Oxytropis campestris.
Habitat
Calcareous grassland near woodland edges. Elevations: 0-1500m.
Gallery
