Mazarine Blue (Cyaniris semiargus)

next page           back to list

2023 photographs highlighted in green. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.

18204_male_Isère_12Jul09 25642_male_Alpes-Maritimes_10Jun11 36342_male_Valais, Switzerland_19Jul14 38221_male_Hautes-Alpes_7Jul15
44157_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_11Jul17 7140_female_Var_18Jun07 48413_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul21 48052_pair_Hautes-Pyrénées_3Jul21
48057_pair_Hautes-Pyrénées_3Jul21 18005_male_Isère_11Jul09 20884_male_Var_20Jun10 33344_male_Hautes-Alpes_3Jul13
     
32600_female_Var_10Jun13      

A butterfly with a very wide altitude range, often being found at 2000m and sometimes considerably higher. It is quite widespread across Europe but usually not more than a few in any one place. The male is a deep strong blue with the veins marked black and with varying-width strong black borders, and the female plain brown with no marginal lunules.

The undersides of both sexes are quite similar: the male is blue-grey to greyish-brown and the female browner, although male undersides can be browner than one might expect. It is slightly larger than the average Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).
ref sex

observations

alt. m
18204 M

showing the deep blue, especially of the upf, and black veins.

1120
25642 M almost identical to 18204, but probably better showing the beautiful deep blue of semiargus. 1400
36342 M a male, seen at high altitude, and with limited blue scales compared to the norm, despite being fresh. 2090
38221 M a male, only slightly darker than the norm, despite the high altitude. 2020
44157 M a male, with a very deep blue colour. 1600
7140 F

a fresh female upperside, plain dark brown and almost completely unmarked.

780
48413 F a rather appealing female, fresh it appears, with blue hairs on the body and in the basal region. 1590
48052 PAIR a mating pair, with another male trying to batter its way in. 48057 features the same pair. 2070
48057 PAIR the same mating pair as in 48052, after the send male had departed, now looking a little more serene. The fresher female is on the left. 2070
18005 M

a male, the ground colour being brown-grey.

1120
20884 M

quite bluish in ground colour, and with very vestigial marginal markings.

830
33344 M a male, roosting in overcast conditions. 1430
32600 F a female, typical colouring. 220
21382 F

quite a strong and distinct brown ground colour.

1320

 

18204_male_Isère_12Jul09

 

25642_male_Alpes-Maritimes_10Jun11

 

36342_male_Valais, Switzerland_19Jul14

 

38221_male_Hautes-Alpes_7Jul15

 

44157_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_11Jul17

 

7140_female_Var_18Jun07

 

48413_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul21

 

48052_pair_Hautes-Pyrénées_3Jul21

 

48057_pair_Hautes-Pyrénées_3Jul21

 

18005_male_Isère_11Jul09

 

20884_male_Var_20Jun10

 

33344_male_Hautes-Alpes_3Jul13

 

32600_female_Var_10Jun13

 

21382_female_Alpes-Maritimes_3Jul10