Polyommatus orbitulus (Prunner, 1798)


Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: 3 Males together with semiargus and minimus (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: 3 Males together with semiargus and minimus (S-Germany, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 1600m, June 2014) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Adult (Lüner See, W-Austria, July 2011) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße, Austria, August 2009) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße, August 2009) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Male (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße, August 2009) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Female [S] Polyommatus orbitulus: Female (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße, August 2009) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Female (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße, August 2009) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Mating (Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Ovum at Oxytropis jaquinii [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Ovum [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Egg (S-Bavaria, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 2000m asl, August 2013) [M] Polyommatus orbitulus: Hatched egg and feeding scars (Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, August 2013) [M] Polyommatus orbitulus: Young larva (S-Bavaria, Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 2000m asl, August 2013) [M] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larva (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larva (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larva (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps) [M] Polyommatus orbitulus: Pupa [S] Polyommatus orbitulus: Pupa ventral [S] Polyommatus orbitulus: Pupa dorsal [S] Polyommatus orbitulus: Oviposition habitat in the Allgaeu Alps in August 2013 [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Eggs and feeding scars (Allgaeu Alps, Hinterstein, 2000m asl, August 2013) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Oviposition habitat in the Allgaeu Alps in August 2013 [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larva in the habitat (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps, 2300m above sea level) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larval habitat (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Larval habitat (Rätikon, west Austrian Alps) [N] Polyommatus orbitulus: Habitat at the Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße (Austria) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Fabaceae such as Astragalus, Oxytropis and Hedysarum. In the northern Alps they can be observed quite often on Oxytropis jaquinii.

Habitat:
Polyommatus orbitulus inhabits alpine meadows and rocky slopes from about 1600m above sea level. The butterfly often occurs on more humid and flowery, grassy slopes with open soil areas. I found caterpillars, for example, in June 2005 and in June 2009 on Oxytropis jaquinii in a rocky niche in 2300m asl in the west Austrian Rätikon.

Life cycle:
Polyommatus orbitulus hibernates as a young caterpillar and the adults are on the wing in a single generation between June and August. The eggs are usually found on the upper side of the leaflets.

Endangerment factors:
Polyommatus orbitulus is endangered only little (locally by touristic infrastructure).

Remarks:
Polyommatus orbitulus is found in the Alps, in Norway and in the southern part of the Urals.



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