Aricia agestis (Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775) Brown Argus, Kleiner Sonnenroschen-Blauling, Collier de corail ou Argus brun ou Azure brun, Голубянка агестида, Ագեսթիս կապտաթիթեռ
Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: The species is found throughout the Palearctic ecozone North to northern Jutland (Denmark) and East to Siberia and Tian Shan. Armenia is inhabited by subspecies A. a. azerbaidzhana (Obraztsov, 1935), which occupies almost entire country occurring in wide variety of habitats at the elevations between 400 and 2700 m a.s.l. The species uses quite a variety of host-plants such as Erodium spp., Geranium spp., Helianthemum spp., and Centaurea spp. It gives up to four generations per annum having butterflies on wing from early April till late October.
Population dynamics: The species is usually common within typical habitat, and demonstrates increasing population trend in 2003-2013 (p<0.05). Such a tendency can be a result of high-level adaptability of the Brown Argus, and ability to shift between host plants.
Conservation measures: The species is not included in the Global and Armenian Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern conventions, however is evaluated for the European Red Book as a Least Concern. The same is proposed as a National status for the species. At current its distribution range is widely covered by all the protected areas, Emerald Sites, and Prime Butterfly Areas, and the species obviously doesn't need specific conservation measures. However, as it is one of the dominant butterflies in many landscapes, its monitoring can be very useful for ecosystems' assessment.