With 32°C (6:40 PM), no clouds and very weak winds, no trip was planned for this day until my mother reported to have seen a blue that strongly resembled C. argiolus at the cemetery a day prior:
+-------------------------+---------------------------------+--------+ | Species | Location | Status | +-------------------------+---------------------------------|--------+ | Celastrina argiolus | Cemetery | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Papilio machaon | ! "Odrich's Garden" ! | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Vanessa atalanta | Cemetery | Adult | +-------------------------+---------------------------------+--------+
To check her observation, I decided to join her on this day and was able to confirm it.
+-------------------------+---------------------------------+--------+ | Species | Location | Status | +-------------------------+---------------------------------|--------+ | Celastrina argiolus | Cemetery | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Coenonympha pamphilus | Zone III | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Pieris brassicae | Cemetery | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Pieris rapae | Cemetery | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Polyommatus icarus | Cemetery / Front Yard Meadow / | Adult | | | ! Odrich's Garden ! | | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Vanessa atalanta | Front Yard Meadow | Adult | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| |-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------| | Coenagrion mercuriale | Zone III | Adult | +-------------------------+---------------------------------+--------+
Another blue was seen close to the community center, however I was unable to get a better look due to it quickly flying away. At first I only managed to make out its upper wings, yet for a few seconds I was able to exclude the possibility of a female C. argiolus, in fact I am 50% certain that it may have been a P. cordion. Because of this, I have decided to come back to this spot on another day.
I did took a quick look at the southernmost edges of Zone III and was greeted by a female C. mercuriale and, to my own surprise, one C. pamphilus.
This day was full of surprises, for sure, as I got to see a P. icarus in my grandparents' garden – I never saw a blue over there up until this point. This may become a rather strong year for blues, after all.