www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I would be grateful for confirmation on this blue please. I was thinking Small Blue, but I live in East Anglia where they are not resident. Failing that could it be something blown in off the continent?
All photographs are of the same example in different light. Regards
Kev

It does look like a male Small Blue to me, Kev. There isn't really anything else it could be - it's perching on grass blades in rather typical fashion too.

Cheers,

Dave

I agree - definitely little blue (I've never liked the name small blue).

I don't know exactly where you live in East Anglia, Kev, but I would expect it to move in from the west rather than over the channel. I think the winds are sou'westerly at the moment, rather than easterly, and little blues are not famous for migrating. I believe it still flies in Cambridgeshire. BUT, nature constantly surprises us and I am very frequently quite wrong!

Guy

According to the distribution on here the closest known site is Devils Ditch, in Cambridgeshire, near Newmarket in Suffolk. If one flies a few feet north east it would technically be in Suffolk

I think that the last record for Small Blue at Devils Dyke, Cambridgeshire (just), was in 2004. There was a sighting at a new sight in South Cambridgeshire, reported on this website in 2018. I am told that Small Blue are appearing at new sites in Hertfordshire including man made habitats, designed to favour Small Blue. Also, sightings at new sites in Norfolk have been reported.
Understanding of the spread of Small Blue in East Anglia May be complicated by unintentional introduction and by intentional and unreported releases.

Dave/Bugboy - thanks for responses and additional information

Guy - I live in Ipswich and it was seen in one of the town's parks. It is interesting that you prefer Little Blue. I had one guide book which named it thus, but every other one states Small Blue. Has it's named been changed through the course of time?

Regards
Kev

kevling wrote:Dave/Bugboy - thanks for responses and additional information

Guy - I live in Ipswich and it was seen in one of the town's parks. It is interesting that you prefer Little Blue. I had one guide book which named it thus, but every other one states Small Blue. Has it's named been changed through the course of time?

Regards
Kev

Aha! That does seem to make natural spread unlikely!

I live in Woodbridge, so easy cycling distance from Ipswich. If you PM'd me the park, I'd love to go and check it out, though I'd understand if you didn't want to. I never reveal sites so it's a little impertinent asking. Is there any kidney vetch in this park? If not, I doubt any little blues would hang around.

Higgins and Riley use 'little blue' and that was my first 'big boys'' book when I was a kid. Maybe that's why I prefer the name. But most, I just like to keep the word 'little' alive, along with 'littler' and 'littlest'.

Guy

I owe you, Kev!!











There is indeed a small population there. I shall contact Bill, the Suffolk recorder, before further comment.

Guy

kevling wrote:I would be grateful for confirmation on this blue please. I was thinking Small Blue, but I live in East Anglia where they are not resident. Failing that could it be something blown in off the continent?
All photographs are of the same example in different light.

Congratulations on your surprising 'find', Kev. It's always rather exciting when something unexpected turns up! Now that Guy has confirmed that there is a small (little?) colony there, it will be interesting to see whether it will persist in future years.

The birding world still seems to use 'little' fairly regularly (e.g. Little Gull), together with 'lesser' and 'least'. I feel it is somewhat demeaning to be described as a 'Least Tern' I don't think I have ever hear of a 'Little Pearl-bordered Fritillary', though.

Mike

I had always thought the term "micro moth" is a tad demeaning (and micro always seems to have a small 'm')

In the birding world there is a blogger who goes by the name : "The Fat Birder".

As for Skinny Latte…? In my youth, coffee selection was simple: Black or white, with or without sugar. Nowadays I have to ask for an “Americano” (where does that term come from? And please, don’t say America) with milk on the side (hot or cold?). I once asked for an Expresso (yes I know it’s really an Espresso) in blissfull ignorance. It wasn’t actually served in a thimble but it might just as well have been.

Small Blue, Little Blue……from now on, it’ll be the Espresso Blue (The best blue this side of Milan).

Jack