Polyommatus bellargus (Rottemburg, 1775)  
Adonis Blue, Himmelblaue Blauling, L'Azure bleu celeste, Голубянка красивая, Գեղեցիկ կապտաթիթեռ

Sistribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
The species is distributed in Central and Southern Europe, Southern Russia, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. The taxonomy of the species is under study and at current it is hard to say which subspecies inhabits Armenia. While the wide variety of the larval host plants are known for the species throughout its habitat, in Armenia the Adonis Blue uses only Coronilla varia. The species' distribution covers entire country, where it occupies wide variety of habitats from semi-deserts up to sub-alpine meadows, including also artificial plantations and edges of arable lands, as its host plant shows strong adaptability. The only habitats avoided by species are dense deciduous forests and alpine grasslands where the Coronilla varia cannot grow. Thus the elevation range of the species varies from 800 to 2500 m a.s.l. While in the lowlands the Adonis Blue can give up to five generations, the number of generations decrease with the raising elevation and according shortening of the warm season. In lowlands the flight of the first generation begins in early May (in some years - even end of April) while the last generation is on wing until end of October. In high mountains the species gives probably only one generation per year, which flies from end of June till end of August.

Population dynamics:
The species has high abundance in many of its habitats. Nevertheless the population trend during 2003-2013 demonstrates moderate decrease (p<0.01). Most probably it is result of high level of species' food specialization and the fact that the host plant is eatable for the livestock, however there can be other factors which are less understood at current. Preliminary it appears that the most influencing factor for the populations of Adonis Blues in Armenia is overgrazing. Further investigations of spatial pattern of population decline can potentially show the areas being overgrazed.

Conservation measures: 
The species is not evaluated for IUCN Red List, and for the Armenian Red Data Book (2010). Its assessment for the European Red List suggest a status of Least Concern. Also the species is not included in CITES, which appears to be justified, as the species is not an object of wide scale trade. Preliminary assessment of its conservation status for Armenia suggests it as Near Threatened. Significant portion of its range is covered by National Protected Areas' system and by Emerald Sites. Meanwhile a significant portion of its habitats is covered by community lands used for  pastures and haymaking. Apparently the development of conservation measures for Adonis Blue in Armenia is related to changes in agricultural policies and modification of the grazing practices at a large scale. The wide distribution and narrow specialization of the species make it good indicator for the pasture management; therefore it is suggested its consideration for further development of grassland or rangeland monitoring scheme at the country scale.

Photo: K. Aghababyan

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