Aricia agestis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

brown argus

Helianthemum nummularium, Belgium, prov. Namur, Nismes, Tienne de Breumont, October 2014 © Stéphane Claerebout: mined plant

mined leaves, seen from below

young larva

egg

mine

Young larvae live free under the leaves. They bite a hole in the lower epidermis, then graze away as much parenchyma as they can reach from there. The end result is a number of small fleck mines, obviously without frass, and with irregular openings. Large larvae cannot feed in this way.

hostplants

Cistaceae, Geraniaceae; narrowly polyphagous

Erodium cicutarium; Geranium molle; Helianthemum nummularium.

phenology

Mining larvae in April – May (Hering, 1957a) and October.

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Vlindernet.nl, 2009).

LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

Almost all Europe, except Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

synonyms

Lycaena astrarche, Bergsträsser, 1779; Plebejus agestis.

references

Buhr (1935b), Hering (1957a, 1964a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Robbins (1991a), Skala (1948a), Szőcs (1977a).