Blue Butterfly Inflating Wings?

[Lester]

Body length ~15mm. I assume this is a Holly Blue but it is difficult to tell with the wings as they as they are and the spots don't seem quite right.

Unfortunately he was gone when I returned to check on him so I don't know his final shape and marking.

[basquesteve]

It is a pity you could'nt see it inflated. Where was it taken? the large dark spots on light blue background are very interesting. Apparently introduced into the U.K. it may be a Green-Underside blue - Glaucopsyche alexis, failing that you are stuck with Holly Blue which is flying here now, or Black Eyed Blue which is even more remote

Lovely pictures
Steve

[Lester]

Originally Posted by basquesteve

It is a pity you could'nt see it inflated. Where was it taken? the large dark spots on light blue background are very interesting. Apparently introduced into the U.K. it may be a Green-Underside blue - Glaucopsyche alexis, failing that you are stuck with Holly Blue which is flying here now, or Black Eyed Blue which is even more remote

Lovely pictures
Steve

Thanks Steve. It was sitting on my back door this morning after I had been out snapping spring flowers in the garden, I'm in north Hampshire. We get Holly Blues in the Garden from time to time, so that seemed most likely.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by basquesteve

It is a pity you could'nt see it inflated. Where was it taken? the large dark spots on light blue background are very interesting. Apparently introduced into the U.K. it may be a Green-Underside blue - Glaucopsyche alexis, failing that you are stuck with Holly Blue which is flying here now, or Black Eyed Blue which is even more remote

Lovely pictures
Steve

Where did you get that info about Green-underside Blue in the UK as I've never seen any references to this in any butterfly data + haven't seen it mentioned by Butterfly Conservation or in the reports in British Wildlife?

I did hear about a thriving colony of Marbled Fritillary in Surrey last year though.

[basquesteve]

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/speci...species=alexis

[Susie]

That was back in 1936

My bet is on holly blue.

[aeshna5]

A rather ambiguous statement- "Believed to be introduced" with no further info to back it up, such as where, when, etc. Other than that one possible vagrant from avery long time ago.

Thanks for the reference any way!

I looked up in the Maitland/Heath 1990 butterfly book (probably the most detailed book) + it only mentions a male captured in September, 1936 in Torquay. The author states this is a surprising date as the species is univoltine in western Europe with specimens emerging around May + June with only very rare examples in September. Not known to be a migrant, but possible a wind blown specimen might reach England across the channel.

There's no mention of any introduced populations, but it wouldn't surprise me if some idiot had tried releasing specimens as this type of thing does occur.

[Lester]

Yes I think I'll note it down is prob. Holly Blue, I don't see what else it could be.