Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburd, 1775)  
Common Blue, Hauhechel-Blauling, Argus Bleu, Голубянка икар, Իկար կապտաթիթեռ

Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: 
​The species is widely distributed in Eurasia and Northern Africa. Armenia is inhabited by nominate subspecies, which occupies entire country occurring in wide variety of habitats from 375 to 3000 m a.s.l. and being absent only in high mountains. The  Common Blue uses various legumes as host plants. It gives up to four, or maybe even five generations per year, and the butterflies can be recorded on wing from early April till late October, or even early November. 

Population dynamics:
The species is common within typical habitat and demonstrates stable population trend during 2003-2013 (p>0.05). Obviously, the high level of its adaptability helps the species to prosper in various conditions including habitat transformation. 

Conservation measures: 
The species is not included in the Global and National Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern Conventions, however it was assessed for the European Red Book as Least Concern, the same status which is proposed for Armenia, taking into account that the species occurs in all the protected Areas, Emerald Sites, and Prime Butterfly Areas. At current there is obviously no need for development of conservation measures, however its monitoring as the common component of many ecosystems is important.

Photo: C.R. Pape