Small blue

Naming

"Cupido minimus trinacriae" Verity, 1919. Sicily

Distribution

It is found in Europe, Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Tian-Shan, West Siberia, Central Siberia, South Siberia, Russian Far East, Amur, Mongolia, Magadan and Kamchatka.
Recorded larval foodplants are "Oxytropis campestris", "Astragalus alpinus", "Lotus corniculatus", "Anthyllis vulneraria", "Melilotus", "Coronilla", "Medicago", "Anthyllis vulneraria", "Astragalus glycyphyllos" and "Astragalus cicer"

Behavior

The larva feeds on several species of small legumes. Main foodplants are kidney vetch "Anthyllis vulneraria" - also the sole foodplant in the United Kingdom -, "Oxytropis campestris" in Northeastern Europe, "Lotus corniculatus", and, in the Northern Scandinavia, "Astragalus alpinus". Eggs are laid singly on young flower heads and the larvae feed on the flower heads and developing seeds. They are cannibalistic and will eat any smaller larvae they come across. Females will rarely lay eggs on a flower head where one is already present. The fully grown larvae are a pale cream colour and are well camouflaged as they sit on the developing seed heads. In the Autumn they descend and hibernate in crevices in the ground. Pupation occurs the following spring at ground level in the leaf litter. On the continent both larvae and pupae are tended by ants but there is little evidence of this occurring in the UK. In the south of England there are two broods, one on the wing in June and a second in August but further north there is just one brood flying in June.

Habitat

Calcareous grassland, abandoned quarries, railway and embankments and woodland edges and clearings.

Food

The larva feeds on several species of small legumes. Main foodplants are kidney vetch "Anthyllis vulneraria" - also the sole foodplant in the United Kingdom -, "Oxytropis campestris" in Northeastern Europe, "Lotus corniculatus", and, in the Northern Scandinavia, "Astragalus alpinus". Eggs are laid singly on young flower heads and the larvae feed on the flower heads and developing seeds. They are cannibalistic and will eat any smaller larvae they come across. Females will rarely lay eggs on a flower head where one is already present. The fully grown larvae are a pale cream colour and are well camouflaged as they sit on the developing seed heads. In the Autumn they descend and hibernate in crevices in the ground. Pupation occurs the following spring at ground level in the leaf litter. On the continent both larvae and pupae are tended by ants but there is little evidence of this occurring in the UK. In the south of England there are two broods, one on the wing in June and a second in August but further north there is just one brood flying in June.