www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

What are these butterflies, please!

#1. Common blue (that's had a very tough life?! - But if so, where are the white fringes?) ***

#2. a) Common blue male? #2. b) [Same butterfly!] ***

#3. Female common blue (if so why not remotely blue in colour!) ***

#4. a) Er... Female Gatekeeper ? (if so there were about 5 of them all these same - none had that broad dark band on the forewings - all females? #4. b) ***

#5 a) Small Copper (presumably) #5 b) Small copper (presumably) Many thanks

J

I think you are right on all counts except #3 looks to be a Brown Argus rather than a female Common Blue.

The white fringes in the males wear away with age.

Yup that third one is a Brown Argus which will explain the complete lack of blue.

The fringes on butterflies wings is the first thing to start to show wear and tear, they start losing it almost as soon as they take to the air.

Excellent - thanks for your help.

Fwiw, only recently have I re-kindled my interest in butterflies - about 50 years ago I used to know all this stuff! My mobile phone - a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which is now about 4 years old - is capable of taking reasonably good photos, but you do have to get super-close, which is a pain! Worse, it sometimes gets in a bad mood and for no good reason refuses to focus. When funds permit I shall buy a new phone, but they aren't cheap! Whilst I'm here, do you have any firm recommendations?

Btw, they were all not far from Oxford, should anyone be interested.

Thanks again

J