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Butterfly populations are a very good indicator of the health of an area's ecosystem !!
Images contributed by UK
photographer Mike Young.
Baton Blues are tiny (thumbnail size) butterflies that usually fly very short distances and settle on grasses and the tops of herbage with wings half open and widely separated.
Their flight is slow, somewhat hopping, and the butterflies are not shy. While they occur more singly in Central Europe, they are extremely frequent in South Europe and North Africa, where they often fly in great abundance. In the extreme east of the area of distribution, in Kashmir, they are local, but very common.
Their prefered terrain is dry and grassy and rocky and set among hills.
They fly low over the ground where they can be easily overlooked.
They take nectar from flowers, and typically rest on warm surfaces such as soil or rocks.
Males are a steely grey blue with checkered margins and often a series of dark marginal spots on the dorsal side.
Female are noticeably larger with a smattering of blue scales. The ventral side has a cleanly spotted pattern which cannot really be confused with any other species.
Diet: caterpillars take Thyme but also Lavender and Mint.
Diet: adults take nectar from flowers.
Avg. wingspan: 1 - 1.1 cm / .39 - .43"
Family: Lycanidae
The single biggest threat to butterfly survival is habitat destruction!!
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