Scarce large blue

The scarce large blue is, in fact, a small blue butterfly of the genus Maculinea. These butterflies have a distinctive biology. First, the caterpillars need a specific host plant on which to feed and, second, they have to be collected by ants and taken into the ant nest, where they complete their development. This complex life cycle renders the species highly vulnerable to changes to their habitat and the Maculinea are regarded as threatened across the entire national territory and across Europe.There are four species of Maculinea in France, all protected. They are the subject of a national action plan which aims to better understand the conservation status of their populations and to protect their habitat.