Arica agestis
Wingspan: 29mm
Description
The only member of the blue family which lacks any blue colouration. The upper wings are a uniform rich brown with clearly defined orange lunules, the upperwings are also edge with a narrow but bright white fringe. Care must be taken to separate this species (both sexes) from female Common Blue.
Flight Period
Double brooded: May – June & August – September
Larval Food plants
Common Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium)
Common Stork’s-bill (Erodium cicutarium)
Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle)
Habitat Requirements
Chalk and Limestone Grassland
Wiltshire Status
Resident, Frequent, local, Widespread
Wiltshire Sites
Pewsey Down
Somerford Common
Salisbury Plain
Grovely Wood
Barbury Castle
Earliest sightings
Earliest county record 15th April 2007, Pewsey Down (Ray Jenkins & Patricia Froud)
Latest Sighting
16th October 2003