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Satyrium acaciae
Similar to the ilex and false ilex hairstreaks, S. ilicis, S. esculi. It has a lighter underside ground colour and the underside hindwing orange markings are limited to the areas around the tail. It has a small blue spot, which touches an orange patch. This compares to similar S. spini, which has a large blue spot that does not touch any orange. The caterpillars of Satyrium acaciae are linked to the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and spend the winter in this plant inside the egg completely formed as caterpillars, waiting for the arrival of the spring to hatch and feed on their leaves. The females, when laying the white eggs, carry out a curious practice whose meaning is not very clear. They cover them with dark scales of their abdominal hairs, perhaps to hide them or disguise their white color.
The habitat of this scarce butterfly is located in shrubs and open forests where its food plant, the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), is present. Spotted at a dispersed oak forest (Quercus pyrenaica).
Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/1000 sec. f/16; ISO Speed Rating: 800. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 300.0 mm. No flash fired
Spotted on Jun 11, 2017
Submitted on Sep 29, 2017
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Finally identified as the Sloe hairstreak, Satyrium acaciae