www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hello all,

I would appreciate some help in my identification of Blue's.... we are fortunate enough to ahve 100's at the farm where i live on the Somerset/Dorset boarder....and i believe this is a common blue? (DSC02170) however, is this a Small Blue? (DSC2302) it was MUCH smaller (25mm?) i have other photos if they would help?...Many thanks in advance!

Hi Caroline - I think these are all Common Blue, although the first photo is particularly interesting since it "breaks the rules"! This is a Common Blue with no additional spot on the forewing underside, but does have the hindwing spots spaced out!

Some rationale here (which is incomplete at the mo!): http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species_ ... pecies.php

Cheers,

- Pete

In my garden this morning for comparison.



Ido struggle with these underwing IDs myself.

Small Blues are very rare in Somerset. There are a few small colonies in the Mendips and they somehow managed to colonise the butterfly habitat in south Somerset at Carymoor http://www.carymoor.org.uk/research/But ... vation.htm. I expect they are more common in Dorset where the chalk downs ought to suit them.

Yes, these are all Common Blue - Small Blue is relatively widespread on chalk downland in Dorset in my experience, but has very distinctive underwings, very different to here

Dear all,

Many thanks for the clarification...i wondered as the particular site was an old lias quarry...i am also about 3 miles from Carymore so maybe could tempt some across!

Hello all...i am assuming this is another common blue?

Hi Caroline,
Yes, that's another Common Blue - plenty around this year!
Neil

Hi Caroline,

If you're interested in encouraging Small Blue to colonise your land, it would be well worth contacting Andrew George from the Carymoor link provided earlier - he has created a number of habitats that this butterfly has colonised, which need not be particularly large.