Silver-studded Blue
Have you noticed how frequently the name "argus" appeared in butterfly names. We have Scotch Argus and Brown Argus in Britain but there are many more in Europe. And the word is also incorporated into several scientific names (eg bellargus, semiargus). This Silver-studded Blue has the true name all to itself with the scientific name Plebejus argus. Plebejus were basically the Plebs or common folk, as this was Linnaeus' "dumping ground" for all the small butterflies like blues and skippers. These were lower than the grand Swallowtails, Emperors and Admirals. And so to the name argus. In Greek mythology Zeus was in love with Io, so to indulge himself without arousing his wife Hera's suspicion, he turned her into a Heifer. Hera found out and placed her under the care of Argus, who had a hundred eyes. Zeus enlisted the help of Hermes who lulled Argus to sleep with his flute and then cut off Argus's head. Hera consoled herself by setting Argus's eyes into the tail of the peacock. So any butterfly that has numerous eyespots often has the name Argus, and elsewhere in the animal kingdom (eg Great Argus Pheasant).
Silver-studded Blue
Have you noticed how frequently the name "argus" appeared in butterfly names. We have Scotch Argus and Brown Argus in Britain but there are many more in Europe. And the word is also incorporated into several scientific names (eg bellargus, semiargus). This Silver-studded Blue has the true name all to itself with the scientific name Plebejus argus. Plebejus were basically the Plebs or common folk, as this was Linnaeus' "dumping ground" for all the small butterflies like blues and skippers. These were lower than the grand Swallowtails, Emperors and Admirals. And so to the name argus. In Greek mythology Zeus was in love with Io, so to indulge himself without arousing his wife Hera's suspicion, he turned her into a Heifer. Hera found out and placed her under the care of Argus, who had a hundred eyes. Zeus enlisted the help of Hermes who lulled Argus to sleep with his flute and then cut off Argus's head. Hera consoled herself by setting Argus's eyes into the tail of the peacock. So any butterfly that has numerous eyespots often has the name Argus, and elsewhere in the animal kingdom (eg Great Argus Pheasant).