A rather localised species, basically Spanish (as you might expect) although its range extends eastwards into southern France, as is often the case with principally Iberian species. It is (allegedly, see later) only found near Ash trees (Fraxinus angustifolia) (the larval hostplant) and near water. It is not unlike the Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus) in that the female has less purple on the upperside than the male, and the female also has more prominent uph submarginal blue spots in s1-3. The female underside is also slightly more heavily marked. It (allegedly) tends to disappear into the higher branches by mid-afternoon, so the morning is the best time to look for it.

Until 2009 I had only found it at one site in Var where the flight period was end-May to mid-June although I found that most specimens were showing serious signs of wear by 7 June.

It was found there regularly every year although in limited numbers. However, in late June 2008 I visited a site I had visited frequently in early spring and found roboris present, nowhere near water and no obvious Ash trees in the vicinity. A similar visit in 2009 produced roboris in large numbers, where fifty or more could have been counted nectaring in the afternoon, and that may have only been the tip of the iceberg. In 2012 I found it at three more locations, so it may be more widespread than originally thought; it is somewhat sedentary and probably under-recorded.

This species was previously known as Laeosopis evippus.

A superb video of the life-cycle of roboris has been produced by Filming VarWild and can be viewed on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm4bbW-kjXc&list=PLLIrjN9bA2GzCdEV0j2IFQU55FNxoJsGT

observations

a male, with extensive purple patches on the upf. Its pose, at the edge of a bush and looking outwards, is typically territorial, ready to chase off any males that strayed into its territory.

a female, with a limited basal blue-purple patch on the upf and only a few blue scales just visible on the uph. The uph marginal blue marks are quite large and extensive compared to the male in 6101, strangely given that the male has more extensive patches in the basal area.