www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

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

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

Heres another..a female I think

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

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.

Cheers Pete...... so it is I checked in my book quickly before posting and got the male/female symbols mixed up

Great pics. I see what I can do today.

Got this one today at Portsdown Hill Hampshire.

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.

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.

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

Is it me are are there more about this year?