About Pseudophilotes bavius (Ivirsmann, 1832)
Pseudophilotes bavius, commonly known as the Bavius blue, is a butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. This species is found in Morocco, Algeria, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Asia Minor, southern Russia, and northern Kazakhstan. It occurs in small, isolated populations in flower-rich dry grassland, dry stony slopes, open patches within shrubland, and vineyards growing on calcareous soil. The wingspan of adult Pseudophilotes bavius ranges from 24 to 30 mm. Most sources note that this species typically has one prolonged generation per year, with adults active in flight from late April to mid-July. In some regions, two generations can occur: the first from April to May, and the second from June to July. A partial second generation may also occur in Peloponnesus. The larvae of Pseudophilotes bavius feed on species in the Salvia genus, including Salvia officinalis, Salvia nutans, Salvia verbenaca, and Salvia verticillata. Larvae feed mostly on the flowers of these plants, and sometimes also feed on the leaves. They are frequently found in association with ants. This species hibernates in the pupal stage.
