Common Blue aberration at Murlough NNR, Co. Down

[Millar153]

Hi all!

I found this little fellow in Murlough on Sunday, nectaring on devilsbit scabious. His underwings were so bright that at first I mistook him for a white. Closer inspection revealed something interesting.



His orange spots are absent!

Here's a better-composed shot of him.



And just to check, his upperwings seem to be normal.



Any ideas what the scientific term might be?

Sam

[Wurzel]

I don't know what the technical name for this aberration is - but if you find out let me know as I had a very similar one, so similar I misidentified it as a Holly Blue
I'm sure there are lads of people on here that could name it for you - it really is a corker!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Unless it's an illusion caused by the butterfly being photographed in close-up, the black fringes appear to be unusually thick too.

[Millar153]

I see what you mean - unless it's characteristic of mariscolore (that being an Norn Irish boyo like!)

I also wondered if the ground colour on the underwings was lacking in colour / paler than usual. Orange scales absent here too maybe?

[Dave McCormick]

I see what you mean - unless it's characteristic of mariscolore (that being an Norn Irish boyo like!)

I also wondered if the ground colour on the underwings was lacking in colour / paler than usual. Orange scales absent here too maybe?

I'll have to check my common blue images to see if any of mine have that size of black band around edge of wings, but from what I can see in your upperside shot, it doesn't come out to me as being a bit unusual, underside does though.