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Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:41 pm
by Perseus
Looking through my butterfly pics and this one I am not sure about? Probably a Common Blue?
Almost certainly a Common Blue. Why did I think otherwise?
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:41 pm
by Padfield
I'd go further - definitely a common blue!
Guy
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:16 pm
by Perseus
I agree. I just had doubts for a few minutes.
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:24 pm
by MikeOxon
It's a very nice photo of a Common Blue.
I think the key feature is the double fringe on the wing edges - slightly chequered greyish inner fringe, with pure white outer. It's shown very well here.
Mike
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:17 am
by John W
MikeOxon wrote:I think the key feature is the double fringe on the wing edges - slightly chequered greyish inner fringe, with pure white outer. It's shown very well here.
Nice observation about the double fringe, I hadn't noticed that before.
Cheers
John
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:33 pm
by David M
Lovely shot of the Common Blue though, with the pale stone background contrasting nicely with the wing colour.
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:52 pm
by Perseus
It was on the beach above high tide level. Bird's Foot trefoil grows in the vegetated patches.
I have looked more closely at the male Common Blue after seeing a picture of a Marazine Blue which I identified as a Common Blue.
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:25 am
by Piers
If the photo had been taken with wings closed, it would reveal iteself to be ab. arcuata. The strong dark stripe above the inner margin on the forewing underside is just visible from above.
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:39 am
by Perseus
Piers wrote:If the photo had been taken with wings closed, it would reveal iteself to be ab. arcuata. The strong dark stripe above the inner margin on the forewing underside is just visible from above.
I am not sure if I can see what you mean. I will have a closer look later.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/ ... utterflies
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:12 pm
by Piers
I have highlighted said spottage...
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:09 pm
by Trev Sawyer
Wow Piers...
That was an
amazing spot!
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Brilliant.
Trev
Re: Blue Butterfly for ID (August 2010)
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:41 am
by Perseus
Piers wrote:I have highlighted said spottage...
CommBlue7908.jpg
Hello Piers,
Thanks for this observation. This was a specimen from Shoreham beach rather than the downs or the Levels. Other Common Blue pictures do not show these markings.
Location:
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Coastal2010.htm
Web pages to be amended later. Too tired tonight.
Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2010.html
Cheers
Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur 2010.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: August 2010
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/August2010.html
Sussex Downs Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111843132181316