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Large Blue - Favourite Photo of 2021

Week 8

Another week passes which in one way is bad as it means another week without butterflies but in another way is good as we’re one week closer to seeing the first butterflies of 2022!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Large Blues were well on the wing at Green Down, Somerset on 25th June. Had to be patient to find one opening it's wings though.
Mike Gibbons

A 'composite' photo I'm afraid. 17th June 2021 - Jeremy Thomas, Sarah Meredith and I visited a recent re-introduction site to carry out some surveys. There were a lot of Large blues flying - at one point I could see 5 different mating pairs. A great tribute to the hard work of many people and a very memorable day. Inset: the photo Sarah is taking.

Brilliant - you can see the pride in Jeremy's expression Why he isn't 'Sir' Jeremy is beyond me. What a great team, and a pleasure to know all three of you and, of course, Tri, who has seen more Large Blues than any other dog in the history of the world, I suspect!

Cheers,

- Pete

There are not many dogs who will sit and watch whilst 100 pieces of trifle sponge are laid across a site to survey for ants and not try to eat them! She is a very well trained dog and asset to the team - it was 6th birthday yesterday. Thanks for your kind words Pete, feelings reciprocated, and unstinting support of the LB project.

Lovely image. One of the great joys of the British countryside is taking time out on a grassy slope in fine weather....the presence of Large Blues is the icing on the cake!

One of my annual long distance trips that I always look forward to (covid permitting). I only managed one very worn insect at Rodborough common so I think I was a bit late for them there, but Daneway with it's (sort of) double brooded population has never failed me yet and despite an annoying amount of cloud I found around half a dozen. They were mostly worn individuals but this brand spanking new female made the whole day worthwhile

I headed down to Somerset on 15th June with the initial intention of visiting Green Down for the first time, but must have been stuck on auto-pilot as I missed the turning and found myself at Collard Hill as usual. It's not often that this gets said, but I was actually disappointed that it was a sunny and very warm day: I know that Large Blues are very unwilling to open up in such weather, and all my previous best open-wing shots have been under bright overcast.

Never mind... I soon found the butterflies, and in the form of a first for me: a mating pair.There were plenty of others around as well (mostly very fresh too), but as expected, underside shots were the order of the day.It was only by "cheating" and shading a butterfly that I was able to persuade one to open up, and the result required a fair bit of tweaking as well. Dave

I know what you mean regarding warm and sunny weather not being ideal for this species, Dave. On 16th I too had to 'cheat' in similar conditions at Green Down - even before 9am they were constantly settling with wings closed!

Large Blue

This year with Co-vid restrictions lifted and no request from those that manage Daneways to ‘stay away’ Philzoid and I didn’t. This year most of the Large Blues were located at the far end of the reserve flying up and down the very steep hillside which in places was more like a cliff. There was a nice assortment here with females and males that showed some nice variation in the number and style of markings as well as a minuscule male that was about the same size and a large Brown Argus. However my favourite appeared at the bottom of the hill on the much more gently sloping field. It was my favourite because it was the best behaved Large Blue that I’ve ever encountered, walking around, sitting still, opening up and generally acting like a right poser!
Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

16th June was one of the finest days of the year. I spent the first part of it at a new site (for me) - Green Down, which is not far from Collard Hill.

I saw just into double figure numbers of Large Blues and had the place virtually to myself.

This freshly emerged female was the highlight: