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Chalkhill Blue – Favourite Photo 2022

Week 2

Where did that week go? If it carries on like this it’ll be the new season before we know it!

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.

Here we go!

Have a goodun

Wurzel
P.S. You might want to select your Favourite first so you can save it for the grand finale in 20 weeks time…

I saw my Chalkhill Blue at Temple Ewell on the 16th July they were every where, top field and Bottom field , even in the one field I don't usually go into
but because I saw the Small Blue in there earlier in the year ventured forth ( trouble with that field it's where most people walk their dogs, most are friendly but you get the odd one that isn't) Pluss the dog dirt, not everybody picks it up and sure enough I'm the one who usually does. Goldie

I luckily managed to see Chalkhills at Denbies on 6th July before being hors de combat for the rest of their season. At that stage of their emergence, there were some lovely new males, and just one or two females.I also came across an ab. - a type I've seen here on several occasions in the past. It had the bonus variation of "silver studs" on a few of the hindwing spots Dave

The last few seasons have seen huge numbers of Chalkhills on the wing at Lydden/Temple Ewell ,hundreds .........probably thousands over this large area ,and this season was no exception .I generally arrive early AM; to catch the Blues waking up and spreading there wings in the morning sunshine .............quite a sight !
in less than ten minutes i found 9 mating pairs ,including 4 pairs within about 1 sq metre of Downland . One interesting observation ,was a male Chalkhill making advances to a "Blue" female Common Blue ,he hassled her for several minutes ,and i really did think that i was going to witness a cross pairing .............but after several attempts ,he gave up and moved on.
Allan.W.

A cracking fresh male on the 28th of July was my favourite of the year for this species. Hazelbury Common, Wiltshire

It was a huge pleasure to see Chalkhills flying in large numbers on Rodborough Common on 26th July, where Large blues had been in good numbers three weeks before. I always associate this butterfly with Carline thistles so was delighted to get this photo.
David

Chalkhill Blue

This was taken at the very start of my Summer break at The Devenish. As it was the start of the holiday I wanted to start with ticking off another ‘first for the year’ but the Brostreaks and Silver Spots were taking their time in emerging so I had to settle for gunning for a Chalkhill. I strolled through the woodland and onto the Orchid Meadow and almost the first thing that I saw was this delightful chap. I do like a ¾ open shot like this as you get the best of all worlds – top side, underside, a little bit of stained glass and a reasonably close ‘close-up’. Despite seeing plenty of these this year I don’t think I got that many shots- I think that because there were so many about; I didn’t know which one to pint the lens at first!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Just the one opportunity with these on 27 July at Swellshill Bank, near Stroud, Glos:

I always associate the unusual Carline thistle with Chalkhill and Adonis Blues, and the Silver-spotted Skipper, so I chose this composite shot of a fine male Chalkhill on said thistle.

Two images that for me illustrate the life of a male butterfly and when I looked at the pictures on my camera, brought a smile to my face. Firstly, a pair basking next to each other, the male waiting for the perfect time to make his move. he pounced and after a brief skirmish, things didn't go as he planned with the final image in the set I took speaking a thousand words of love lost