Aricia agestis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
brown argus
on Geranium, etc.
Haarlemmermeer, 12.vii.2020 © Laurens van der Linde
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; restricted polyphagous
Erodium cicutarium; Geranium dissectum, molle, palustre, pratense, pusillum, pyrenaicum, sanguineum, sylvaticum; ? Pelargonium; 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).
ei, larva, pupa
see Lepiforum, Pyrgus.
synonyms
Lycaena astrarche, Bergsträsser, 1779; Plebejus, Polyommatus, agestis.
references
Buhr (1935b), Bury (2016a), Bury & Savchuk (2015a), Dupont, Luquet, Demerges & Drouet (2013a), Hering (1957a, 1964a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Lepiforum (2021), Nel & Nel (2003a), pyrgus.de (2023), Robbins (1991a), Skala (1948a), Sucháčková Bartoňová, Beneš, Faltýnek Fric & Konvička (2019a), Szőcs (1977a), Vegliante & Zilli (2007a).