www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Iy know the upperside was pale blue, and at rest it was about the size of a 5p piece. Taken today in southern Spain.



Martin.

More shots...







Martin.

Looks like a common blue to me.

eccles wrote:Looks like a common blue to me.

eccles...far be from me to doubt you, you've probably forgotten more about butterflies than I know...but according to Lafranchis Common Blues do not have ocelli in the upperwing cell and this fella does. Or am I being a total prat? (It won't be the first time )

Martin.

I presume by 'ocelli' you mean eyespots, i.e. the orange spots around the outside edge of the forewings, or maybe the black spots towards the wing median and inner edge? They are there in the common blue.

Perhaps your guide means on the upper side of the wings?

Here's a nice underside view:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/image.ph ... Aug-05.jpg

Currently in transit ... but this could be an Idas Blue.

Will check when I get home (Friday).

Cheers,

- Pete

I can see where I was going wrong now.

In Lafranchis (page 159) it shows a photo Common Blue, Polyyommatus icarus form icarinus, and it's this form that has no ocelli in the cell. So that's that. It's a Common Blue. Martin was being a prat again.

Martin.