Brown Argus
Aricia agestis
| Home | The Butterflies of Gloucestershire | Species | Habitats | Conservation |
Brown ArgusAricia agestis |
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| Female, 29 June 1980 | 20 June 1977 |
Habitat
Unimproved grassland with Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium)
is the main habitat in the Cotswolds.
In recent years the species has quite often been recorded in other places. Some Stork's-bill (Erodium) and Crane's-bill (Geranium) species are also used as foodplants. These grow by hedges and on road verges, and in field margins, so Brown Argus may be found almost anywhere in the countryside. Agricultural set-aside fields can apparently provide good, if temporary, habitat.
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Conservation Issues
Population sizes tend to vary quite noticeably over a period of years.
The species is sometimes very common on its sites, but there have been
periods during which it was scarce. It is unclear whether this is
mainly a consequence of the weather.
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Flight PeriodMid May to late June for the first generation, late July to early September for the second.
DistributionThe species is now found throughout most of Gloucestershire, but it is commonest in the Cotswolds.
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