Aberrant Common Blue ?

[Paul Wetton]

Any comments on what I think is an aberrant female Common Blue.

These photos were actually taken by my mother at Aston Rowant Nature Reserve

[Paul]

Certainly looks so to me ( IMHO )... never seen a female with no orange on the upperside... very pretty spec. congrats

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Paul,

The underside photo re-inforces my original view that this is an aberrant female Common Blue. Although I have never seen one quite like this, it exhibits features found in many Common Blue aberrations, but taken to the extreme. I think I can just detect traces of orange scales in the black areas of the forewing and it has an interesting violet sheen in the same area. Here is a photo of one I found last year showing the variations in a modest form. Yours just seems to have kept on changing. It would be interesting to know the reasons which could have led to such an extreme change.

A very nice find.

Vince

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Vince

I agree there are some definite pale markings where you would expect to find the orange markings. The lack of black lines across the white edging of the wings rules out adonis blue but taking this into account it does exhibit similar patterning to some of the female Adonis aberrations I have seen this year.

Great shot by the way.

Regards

Paul

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Paul,

Here are a couple of extreme Adonis Blue female aberrations taken at Ballard Down, Dorset in May 2008 for comparison. Apart from anything else they lack the subtle combination of colours usually found in Common Blue variants.

Vince

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Vince

I found one almost identical to your first photo at Durlston Country Park this year. The blue colouration was extremely irridescent compared to that of Common Blue aberrants as you say.

The second photo could almost be mistaken for a worn male if it wasn't for the body shape. I've seen a few males with the spotting on the hind wings.

Again great pics.

I went back to Aston Rowant a couple of weeks later but couldn't find any abberant females. We suspect there were more than one as my dad filmed one and my mum photographed one in the couple of hours we were there, so the chances are there were a few knocking around.

Cheers

Paul

[Vince Massimo]

The second photo could almost be mistaken for a worn male if it wasn't for the body shape. I've seen a few males with the spotting on the hind wings.

Paul,

The small black spot in the centre of each forewing is also a good indicator that it is a female and is something that I look for if I am in any doubt.

Vince

[Paul Wetton]

Good point Vince

Paul