Northern Brown Argus Aricia artaxerxes

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The Northern Brown Argus, with the distinctive white spot in the centre of its brown forewing, is at the southern edge of its British range in Cumbria. In size and underwing markings it is very similar to the Common Blue, the brownish female of which could easily be confused with the present species. This butterfly feeds as a caterpillar on Common Rockrose and is restricted to the limestone areas in the south of the county where this plant grows in limestone grassland. The flight period is generally from mid June with a peak in July but can continue to early September.