Cupido alcetas

The Latin species name alcetas refers to Ἄλκηστις (Alcestis), in Greek mythology a princess daughter of Pelias, king of Iolcus. ==Distribution==

First described from Austria by Johann Centurius Hoffmannsegg in 1804, it occurs locally in southern and central Europe, Turkey, the Urals, southern Siberia and northern Kazakhstan. ==Habitat==

This species lives in flowery grassy places, bushy and damp areas and woodland clearings at an elevation of above sea level. ==Description==

Cupido alcetas has a wingspan of . In these small butterflies the upperside of the wings is blue-purple in males, brown in females (sexual dimorphism). The wing edge is black, with a white fringe. The underface of the wings is pale blue-gray, with a series of small black spots encircled with clearer blue. On the underside hindwings usually there is no orange. Sometimes it is present a single orange-colored anal spot that does not reach the marginal black spot. Close to the anal angle usually is present a thin, very short tail. This species is similar to the Short-tailed blue (Cupido argiades) and (less so) to the Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus). The Eastern Short-tailed Blue ( Cupido decolorata ) can be differentiated by a black discoid spot on the upper surface of the forewings. However, a genital morphological examination is recommended for reliable identification . The short-tailed blue ( Everes argiades ) differs in that there are always two orange spots at the anal angle on the underside of the wings. ==Biology==

Adults fly from May to September. These larvae are myrmecophiles, living in association with ants of the genus Formica. ==References==