Help us identify this small blue butterfly, please.

[Thom]

Hello all

My son and I have just found a delicate small blue butterfly flittering around our kitchen (now released outside) but we cannot identify it. Please can you help?

The photos are not the best quality and appear rather more green than the beautiful baby(ish) blue that it was in real life. The spot midway down the body was a brownish red.

I would say that the wingspan was about 3/4" to an inch (20 - 25 mm). To give you an idea of scale; that's it sat in a corner on the kitchen tiles so that line underneath is a line of grout. And it probably helps to know that this is in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Sorry but I didn't think to make specific note of the undersides of the wings but we think they were probably blue as well (although we may be wrong about this).

This was a stunning wee butterfly and we're keen to know what type it is. Any thoughts?

All answers greatly appreciated.

Best Wishes

Thom

[bugboy]

It's one of the Emerald Moths, probably a Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria

[Kip]

Hi,
I think you will find it is a rather lovely Moth, the Common Emerald.... see http://ukmoths.org.uk/species/hemithea- ... ria/adult/

sorry, this crossed with Bugboy

[Thom]

Thank you Kip & Bugboy!! Much appreciated!

That's definitely the one. The green had faded to a lovely delicate baby blue, though.

Thanks again!