Bug FAQSouthern Brown Argus
Aricia cramera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The Southern Brown Argus has a wingspan up to about 30 mm. It lives in Southern Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean islands and the Canary Islands. Its larvae feed on plants such as Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
In Canary specimens the red band on the upperside can be unusually broad and form a regular band cut only by the black veins.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan can reach up to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean islands such as Menorca, and the Canary Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on species of Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight period spans May through September depending on where it lives.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range extends from Morocco and Tunisia through Spain and Portugal, including Mediterranean islands and the Canary Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Specimens from the Canaries that look like Aricia astrarche may actually be the form calida, not cramera.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see these butterflies?
Adults fly from May through September, depending on the region.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on plants like Erodium, Helianthemum and Geranium.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Southern Brown Argus found?
It occurs in Southern Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean islands and the Canary Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aricia_cramera
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.