Large Blue - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Matsukaze]

Collard Hill, June 2009...I caught sight of three Large Blues fluttering slowly across the down. It turned out that it was a female being pursued by two males - "chase" is the wrong word, as their movement appeared too gentle for that; it appeared the two males were attached to the female by invisible elastic, following at some moments closely, at other moments further away, but always returning to close quarters. After some minutes of this most beautiful display the female selected her mate and paired, but the other male was not about to accept the situation...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLFeqveK ... e=youtu.be[/video]

[Trev Sawyer]

A two day trip to Collard Hill in June to see my first Large Blues was definitely one of the highlights of the 2012 butterfly year for me.
This lovely female with gorgeous thick black banding was one of the few open-wing photo opportunities:

Trev

[David M]

That's a mightily impressive image, Trev. Well done.

[Maximus]

Great open-wing shot Trev. I visited Collard Hill for the first time on 18th June 2012. This was my favorite photo.