Blue butterfly Id

[keithM]

Hi

In the New Forest on Sunday 7 June at Acres Down I saw a small blue butterfly and managed to get a reasonable shot of it which is attached. Be really grateful to know what it is. Doesn't look like a common blue to me so I wonder if its something a bit rarer or not?

Thanks.

[m_galathea]

Hi Keith, welcome to UKB

It is indeed something a bit rarer - a Silver-studded Blue. This one's a male.

You can read about them here:
http://ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php? ... ded%20Blue

Alexander

[Piers]

Hi Keith,

That's a male Silver-studded Blue (Plebeius argus) which is common on the New Forest heathland from mid June, peaking in July. In favourable habitat they can fly in their thousands, although because their habitat requirements are so specific they are a very locally distributed butterfly in the UK. That's a great photo too Keith.

Best regards,

Felix.

[keithM]

Ah cool thanks for the comments and praise.
Took the photo with my old Olympus 3MP compact, lucky that the butterfly didnt fly off like most I see do.
Looking at some of the id photos I thought it might be a short tailed blue because its underwing didnt have a full line of orange, but just little dash at one end. Anyway more than happy to have seen a silver studded!

I'm more of a bird man than butterflies but keen to see them none the less and learn their names.

Thanks.