Silver Studded Blue sizes
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 8:18 pm
I think it was Gibster and Felix who were discussing the size differences of Silver Studded Blues a few days ago...
I went to Kelling Heath in Norfolk on Thursday and whilst watching Common Blues, noticed a worn and far smaller brown butterfly which I originally put down as an old Brown Argus. I then saw a tiny blue butterfly (from above it looked like a very small Common Blue). I managed a few (absolutely rubbish, sorry!) record shots before I had to move on, but later started to think they were both Silver Studded Blues (especially now I have downloaded the pics). I did find a few "normal" sized Silver Studded Blues (see last photo), but the first three snaps show butterflies which were literally as small as Small Blues ie not much more than 1.5cm wingspan. I was amazed at just how ridiculously small they appeared. I spoke to a local photographer I met there, who told me that the Silver Studded Blues had supposedly just started to appear, but I wonder whether these smaller insects had hatched a while ago and become worn already.
Is it possible/likely that the small versions pupated first when there was potentially less food for them and the larvae had not been able to grow very large - hence the size of the adult? If they pupated earlier, they may well hatch out earlier too. Is it common for there to be such a variation in size at the same site? My fellow enthusiast mentioned that the Silver Studs at both Kelling Heath and Buxton Heath were re-introductions. Does anyone know where the original source was from for these sites?
Trev
I went to Kelling Heath in Norfolk on Thursday and whilst watching Common Blues, noticed a worn and far smaller brown butterfly which I originally put down as an old Brown Argus. I then saw a tiny blue butterfly (from above it looked like a very small Common Blue). I managed a few (absolutely rubbish, sorry!) record shots before I had to move on, but later started to think they were both Silver Studded Blues (especially now I have downloaded the pics). I did find a few "normal" sized Silver Studded Blues (see last photo), but the first three snaps show butterflies which were literally as small as Small Blues ie not much more than 1.5cm wingspan. I was amazed at just how ridiculously small they appeared. I spoke to a local photographer I met there, who told me that the Silver Studded Blues had supposedly just started to appear, but I wonder whether these smaller insects had hatched a while ago and become worn already.
Is it possible/likely that the small versions pupated first when there was potentially less food for them and the larvae had not been able to grow very large - hence the size of the adult? If they pupated earlier, they may well hatch out earlier too. Is it common for there to be such a variation in size at the same site? My fellow enthusiast mentioned that the Silver Studs at both Kelling Heath and Buxton Heath were re-introductions. Does anyone know where the original source was from for these sites?
Trev