Holly Blue Upperside?

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:51 pm

Does anyone know how to get an upperside of a holly blue? I found it a bit hard. Unless I was standing on a step ladder, i was lucky to get any shots at all. Any suggestions guys?

Cheers,

Dave

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:22 pm

I reckon that Holly Blue open their wings in order to absorb the sun's rays (much like the Large Blue) and, as such, are more likely to do this on relatively-cool or overcast days. In the last 5 years, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've managed to photograph a Holly Blue with their wings open! This year's event (spotted by my wife!) is below (handheld, 1/250s, shutter priority):

Cheers,

- Pete

Mike Young · Post by **Mike Young** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:33 pm

Heres another..a female I think

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:35 pm

Hi Mike - nice shot! It's actually a male. The female has a broad border on the forewings (slightly smaller in spring brood than the summer brood). The photo I posted earlier is a female.

Cheers,

- Pete

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:52 pm

Managed to get this today...

and this on Thursday.

I managed to see courting behavior today. The female climbing a twig with her wings flicking 19 to the dozen, and the male with his nose on her backside flicking his wings about once per second.

Martin.

Mike Young · Post by **Mike Young** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:04 pm

Cheers Pete...... so it is

I checked in my book quickly before posting and got the male/female symbols mixed up

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:42 am

Great pics. I see what I can do today.

Mike Young · Post by **Mike Young** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:56 pm

Got this one today at Portsdown Hill Hampshire.

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:00 pm

On top of the female holly blue, sunning itself on a peice of blue plastic today. What a shot. Lucky I suppose:

Is this a normal form or an aberation? I saw alot of blackish parts.

Cotswold Cockney · Post by **Cotswold Cockney** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:59 pm

Dave McCormick wrote:On top of the female holly blue, sunning itself on a peice of blue plastic today. What a shot. Lucky I suppose:

Is this a normal form or an aberation? I saw alot of blackish parts.

I believe it's a 'normal' form of the female but, well worn and obviously much travelled...

The ova are easy to locate on the female Holly Bush Flowers or, more precisely, just below the flowers on their little stalks. The male bushes' flowers are rarely chosen by the females for their ova. In late summer/autumn, they are not difficult to spot on the green flowers of the Ivy.

Holly twigs with flowers and later the green berries placed into glass jars are ideal for raising a few Holly Blues from ova. Plug the tops to avoid larve walking down into the water. The larvae are usually well behaved, feed up within 2-3 weeks and only stray from the twigs when mature and ready to pupate.

JamesStGeorge · Post by **JamesStGeorge** » Sun May 06, 2007 10:09 pm

Shot a Holly Blue last week. After several years watching them fly by!

Is it me are are there more about this year?