Martin.
Is this Adonis Blue?
Is this Adonis Blue?
Martin.
Hi all
1st post here, I'm in the same boat after a trip to Martin Down today. It's the first time I've seen Adonis Blue (I think) and logically the first time I've seen them alongside the Common Blue, so I'm trying to get my eye in!
Can someone please check that I'm on the right track with my IDs, sorry for some of the generally poor photos. It was made slightly harder because of the worn wing edges of the specimens I saw.
I would say that the difference in colours between what I've identified as male CBs and ABs looks more obvious in the photos than I remember it looked in the field.
Also saw my first Small Blue and Marbled White as well as Stonechat and Yellow Hammer. Lovely spot!
Thanks all for any help with my IDs and for the excellent quality of this site, forum and contributions.
Cheers
Bill
Female Adonis Blue
Male Adonis Blue
Male Common Blue
1st post here, I'm in the same boat after a trip to Martin Down today. It's the first time I've seen Adonis Blue (I think) and logically the first time I've seen them alongside the Common Blue, so I'm trying to get my eye in!
Can someone please check that I'm on the right track with my IDs, sorry for some of the generally poor photos. It was made slightly harder because of the worn wing edges of the specimens I saw.
I would say that the difference in colours between what I've identified as male CBs and ABs looks more obvious in the photos than I remember it looked in the field.
Also saw my first Small Blue and Marbled White as well as Stonechat and Yellow Hammer. Lovely spot!
Thanks all for any help with my IDs and for the excellent quality of this site, forum and contributions.
Cheers
Bill
Female Adonis Blue
Male Adonis Blue
Male Common Blue
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Padfield
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That's a very difficult question. It certainly looks like one. The lower common blue posted by Bill also looks like Adonis.
The shade of blue is difficult to judge in photographs of worn individuals, but in the flesh Adonis blue males have a different, deeper, refractive hint even when they are in their last day. With sufficient experience, the question never arises - common blue wears out thin and violet, while Adonis always retains the refractive depth right to the end.
Another feature is the leading edge of the forewing. This is always distinctly paler in common blue, with pale streaks coming off it, though it is not visible at every angle. I have speculated that the name icarus refers to these waxy shoulders. Adonis blue has this to a much lesser extent.
Adonis blue much more commonly than common blue has spots around the hindwing upperside, as in Martin's picture.
The chequering of the fringes is a good sign, and Bill's last picture shows this, though the butterfly is worn. Common blue can have half-chequering, which sometimes looks prominent.
Lastly, what is the flower Martin's blue is on? If it is horseshoe vetch, that is a very good sign for Adonis. If it is bird's foot trefoil, common blue is indicated. It looks like horseshoe vetch to me, but it is difficult to judge the size.
In Europe, judging the shade and refractivity of blues is a vital skill, and because I see Adonis and common blue every day I think I can say I have never confused them for many years. Unfortunately, this aspect is much harder to judge from pictures than in the flesh.
Guy
The shade of blue is difficult to judge in photographs of worn individuals, but in the flesh Adonis blue males have a different, deeper, refractive hint even when they are in their last day. With sufficient experience, the question never arises - common blue wears out thin and violet, while Adonis always retains the refractive depth right to the end.
Another feature is the leading edge of the forewing. This is always distinctly paler in common blue, with pale streaks coming off it, though it is not visible at every angle. I have speculated that the name icarus refers to these waxy shoulders. Adonis blue has this to a much lesser extent.
Adonis blue much more commonly than common blue has spots around the hindwing upperside, as in Martin's picture.
The chequering of the fringes is a good sign, and Bill's last picture shows this, though the butterfly is worn. Common blue can have half-chequering, which sometimes looks prominent.
Lastly, what is the flower Martin's blue is on? If it is horseshoe vetch, that is a very good sign for Adonis. If it is bird's foot trefoil, common blue is indicated. It looks like horseshoe vetch to me, but it is difficult to judge the size.
In Europe, judging the shade and refractivity of blues is a vital skill, and because I see Adonis and common blue every day I think I can say I have never confused them for many years. Unfortunately, this aspect is much harder to judge from pictures than in the flesh.
Guy
maybe I'd better go back to check 
Thank you Guy for those extra tips on seperating these two species, very useful. The latest female picture from Martin has prominent chequering across the fringes on the hind wing and no chequering on the forewing. But on the hindwing but it looks to only go 1/2 way across. On the female in my picture the chequering looks to be all the way across the fringes on both wings. If they are both the same species then this is a right tricky business!
Cheers
Bill
Cheers
Bill
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Pete Eeles
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I think Martin's photo is of a female Common Blue. Most individuals do have some small degree of black within the fringe - especially on the hindwing. But in the Adonis Blue (and its close cousin the Chalkhill Blue) the fringe is significant - and completely interesects the white fringe.
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
