Adonis Blue bellargus
Life cycle There are two broods per year, with adults flying from mid-May to mid-June, andearly August to mid-September. The eggs are laid singly on very small foodplantsgrowing in short turf. These conditions provide a very warm microclimate for larvaldevelopment and are favoured by ants, which tend both larvae and pupae. The greenlarvae are well camouflaged and are nearly always attended by ants, which are attractedby secretions from special ‘honey’ glands and pores. Any ant species appears suitable,but the most common are the red ant Myrmica sabuleti and the small black antLasius alienus. The ants protect the larvae from predators … Read more