Do Holly Blues lay eggs on variegated holly?

[Lynn]

It would help me in giving advice to someone doing a butterfly planting scheme to know if anyone has noticed Holly Blues laying eggs on variegated holly?

[Cotswold Cockney]

It would help me in giving advice to someone doing a butterfly planting scheme to know if anyone has noticed Holly Blues laying eggs on variegated holly?

Never actually found ova on that variety of Holly but, never searched the plant much and I have a small one in my garden. Any Holly which produces the berries would be used by this butterfly ~ not all Hollies produce berries, only the female bushes do. So, if getting a Holly bush for the garden with this delightful butterfly in mind, you must discriminate in favour of the female of the species .... How do you 'sex' the bushes, you look for the green berries to start growing once the flowers die. When the flowers wither and die on the male bush, that's ya lot! No berries.......
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[Vince Massimo]

Hi Lynn,

I have only just noticed your question otherwise I would have replied earlier. A few years ago I saw a Holly Blue laying eggs in the flowerbuds of my variegated holly. I have "Golden King", which, despite its name, is a female plant. I kept track of the spot and later managed to find a very small hatched caterpillar. Be careful when selecting the species because the names can be very deceptive. Silver Queen is male! I have also had eggs laid on my Ceanothus, but you need lime-free soil to grow this.

I hope this helps.

Vince