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).