A "little blue butterfly"
- Henry.Kemm
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:55 am
- Location: South Hampshire
A "little blue butterfly"
When in Spain, I found this down by the beach about 15 miles east of Malaga. It looks like a female Holly Blue, but it seemed rather smaller than the Holly Blues we get in the garden in Fareham, more like the size of a Small Blue. I know that many members know about these things and love a chance to help. Any ideas?
- Pete Eeles
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Re: A "little blue butterfly"
Hi Henry - looks like a make Silvery Argus (Aricia nicias). Roger or Guy should be able to confirm - some of Roger's photos:
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... s_14Jul14_
Cheers,
- Pete
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html ... s_14Jul14_
Cheers,
- Pete
Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies: http://www.butterflylifecycles.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
British & Irish Butterflies Rarities: http://www.butterflyrarities.com
- Padfield
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Re: A "little blue butterfly"
Nicias is a high mountain butterfly of the Alps and Pyrenees, so I would be very surprised to find it near Málaga. If it was a really tiny butterfly I would go for Zizeeria knysna, the African grass blue. Normally, this lacks the bar at the end of the cell but this is sometimes present; the borders are quite consistent with knysna. The wing shape and tint don't look quite right but these are easily distorted in a single photo.
If you have any underside photos at all - even bad ones - it would be easy to identify this butterfly...
Guy
If you have any underside photos at all - even bad ones - it would be easy to identify this butterfly...
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
- Henry.Kemm
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- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:55 am
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: A "little blue butterfly"
I haven't got any pictures of the underside, but I did take a picture of another couple of butterflies which might have been related and I also don't know.
- Padfield
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Re: A "little blue butterfly"
Hi Henry. That's a female African graas blue, confirming the previous ID.
Guy
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
- Henry.Kemm
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:55 am
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: A "little blue butterfly"
Thanks to you all for your contributions