Blue-spot Hairstreak
Common NameBlue-spot Hairstreak
Scientific NameSatyrium spini
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyTheclinae
Wingspan (mm)32
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, white, orange
HabitatOpen woodlands, scrubland, clearings, dry grassy areas, forest edges
Geographic RangeSouthern and Central Europe, parts of Asia Minor and the Caucasus
Host PlantsRhamnus cathartica, Prunus spinosa, Quercus robur, Crataegus
Flight PeriodMay to August
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesOverwinters as an egg. Larvae feed on the buds and young leaves of host plants, pupating near the ground. It is a univoltine species.
Identification TipsKey features include the dull brown underside with a prominent white line and a series of orange-yellow spots on the hindwing. The presence of two short tails on the hindwing is also characteristic. The 'blue spot' is often very small or absent on the underside, but the orange spots are a reliable identifier.
Description
A small, drab brown butterfly with a distinctive white postdiscal line on the hindwing underside, bordered by a row of orange-yellow spots, and often a small black spot (sometimes with blue scaling) near the tornus.
