Perfect Males Do Exist!
Following a lengthy hiatus I located another British born Long-tailed Blue at 2 pm on Thursday (8 October), at Beeding Cement Works. I flushed it from the clump of Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea beside the tarmac area, as soon as I got out of the car. Luckily it didn’t fly more than a couple of metres, and the mixed weather conditions worked in my favour. Several times it opened its stunningly beautiful wings, revealing that it was a male. I have seen quite a few British Long-tailed Blues now, but this was my first male in perfect condition.
During a warmer period it moved to the central clump of ivy, where it sunbathed on some clematis leaves. At 3 pm it launched an attack on a passing Comma, and accelerated away so rapidly that I immediately lost sight of it. The males of this species make the Duke of Burgundy and Small Copper look quite slow!
If you visit this site please do not block the track up to the houses (there is really only room for one car to park here). Parking can be found in the layby a few hundred metres further north, on the left-hand side. Please do not walk up the private track which serves these houses. Please do not trespass over the private garden to the left of the track.
I still believe that the main emergence of British Long-tailed Blues is yet to begin, but the forecast of a big freeze next week may yet spoil the party.