A Small Blue I believe?

[Neil Freeman]

Hello there,

I was on holiday at Crantock in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago and saw this. I believe it is a Small Blue due to its size but thought it was perhaps a little late in the season. Mind you it is a bit worn looking so could have been around a while.
Can anyone confirm the ID for me please?

Many Thanks,

Neil.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Neil - this is the wrong colour for Small Blue, which is really quite dark on its upperside - almost black in fact.

I'm pretty sure this is a very worn Common Blue.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Matsukaze]

Hi Neil,

A worn male Common Blue - Small Blue is much darker (grey/brown/black/blue). Small Blue is not known from Cornwall, which is strange considering the abundance of its foodplant on the coast there.

[Padfield]

I wouldn't rule out silver-studded blue from that picture.

Guy

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the replies.
It doesn't really show in the picture but it was much smaller than all the Common Blues that I have seen before which was what made me unsure.
Thinking about it, the very worn appearance probably made it look smaller.

Neil.

[Piers]

I'd tentatively go for male Silver Studded Blue from the wing shape and posture.

Felix.

[Padfield]

I only saw silver-stud when I looked at the picture, I must admit. The things that clinched it for me were:

As Felix says, wing shape and posture.
The extent and pattern of dark shadow on the hindwing (towards the costa) - classic silver-stud.
The breadth of the dark margins, which though worn are clearly visible.
The vestigial evidence of dark spotting on the hindwing margin.
The lack of a conspicuous pale 'shoulder' on the forewing.
The size.

The habitat (as indicated by the bracken) supports silver-stud, but of course does not rule out common.

If silver-studded blue is possible in terms of distribution, I would wager small quantities of beer on it being that. But it would be pints, not barrels.

Guy

[Piers]

If silver-studded blue is possible in terms of distribution

Very much so, and the more I look at the image the less I see Common Blue at all.

I'll stick my neck out and say that it is certainly an SSB.

Felix.

[Cotswold Cockney]

Unlike Small and Silver Studded Blues, Common Blues are far less habitat specific.... one of the many reasons I adore the Common Blue ~ it's liable to turn up almost anywhere ... even my back garden. Are the two less "common" blues recorded in that area of Cornwall? Habitat can be a very reliable guide to identifying very worn and thus otherwise confusing individual specimens.
..

[Neil Freeman]

I have done a bit more checking and apparently Penhale Dunes are a known site for Silver Studded Blues. Crantock Bay where this photo was taken is just a few miles along the coast.
I have never seen a SSB before and did not appreciate how small they actually are, certainly seem to be much closer to Small Blue than Common Blue in size.

Thanks for all the replies, I am now convinced that this was actually a Silver Studded Blue.

Neil.

[Pete Eeles]

Agreed - SSB.

I won't be so lazy next time

Cheers,

- Pete