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Adonis Blue - Favourite Photo of 2017

And so it begins...Starting this week the first opportunity to showcase your favourite shots of 2017! Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.
Here we go then!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hello one and all,
To save having to sort thousands of photos over the winter, my photo policy for 2017 was to only take shots 'that count'. The result of this is that I have very few photos at all this year, let alone any interesting ones. I will review my policy for 2018 .
This is the best I managed in the south of France, on the 1st of September: Chris

Choosing one from the many seen this year in both broods at Denbies and Aston Rowant, and also from my trip to Kent at the end of August, is a tough one. However, I've singled out a pairing and one of each sex, plus the ab. krodeli seen at Aston Rowant. The pair, down on the path at Denbies in brilliant sunshine just radiates summer heat.The female was seen on the same day (August 20th) when there were many fresh ones flying.The male comes from the spring brood (6th May) on the same site - a lovely fresh and furry example.Finally, the ab.: the first of these I've seen at Aston Rowant (2nd September). There were many others deserving of inclusion... You just cannot have too much of the beautiful colour of the male of this species, or of the many variations in the females...

Dave

Tried really hard to limit myself to one Adonis pic , but just couldn,t manage it ,a species I always look forward to every year,and I,m lucky enough to have several sights ,close to home ,all of these pics were taken in the Wye / Crundale area in Kent , I find the Female Adonis really interesting and I,m slowly building my own log of Variants ,they really are quite stunning.
Regards Allan.W.

I had pretty good encounters with these during both generations. After looking at the photographs I got this year I've decided that the best weather to photograph the males is bright overcast conditions, they positively glow in that light. I also managed to add this species to my 'in-cop' collection this year and so I've managed to narrow it down to three images

I see this species in high three figure numbers in France every year, but as a Welsh resident, there is always something extra special about seeing them on home soil following a 90 minute drive!!

On 20th May, I did just that and was rewarded with two males at Rodborough Common in Gloucestershire. Here's one of them:

My Adonis Blues were all seen in Dorset in early September when we stayed at Lulworth Cove for a few days and I saw them on Bindon Hill, at Durdle Door and along the path up to White Horse Hill at Osmington.
I saw a few mating pairs including these on Bindon Hill,
This one from Osmington had the most blue that I have ever seen on an Adonis female,
Cheers,

Neil

Adonis Blue

This my first Favorite Photo posting is of a female from the second brood and was taken at Martin Down. I was lucky enough to see Adonis from both broods at a couple of different sites this year but this one stood out over all others because of the freshness, the pristine margins with the thickest chequers that I've encountered and the subtle jewelling bedecking the wings .
Have a goodun

Wurzel

That is one beautiful butterfly, Wurzel. Excellent shot.

Dave

My Adonis Blue male is from the small colony at Hutchinsons Bank, from the summer brood, we had a few spring brood sightings, and this was the first of the offspring to be seen.

For me this species had a really good year at the two sites I visited. They were plentiful at Denbies Hillside in Spring and again in Summer at Yoesden Bank.
A first brood male - Denbies Hillside 20.05.2017.
A first brood female - Denbies Hillside 20.05.2017.
A Summer brood male found roosting on a snail shell - Yoesden Bank 21.08.2017.
A Summer brood male - Yoesden Bank 24.08.2017.

I always enjoy your compositions, Nigel, but for me that last one at Yoesden Bank is exceptional. I missed this species altogether, last year, so hope to make up for that in 2018.

Mike

I had a good time with Adonis Blues last year, seeing good numbers at most of my sites. A warm spring and wet summer certainly appeared to help this species. My favourite picture, perhaps, is this male. Taken on 2 September at Temple Ewell in Kent.

Nigel Kiteley wrote:For me this species had a really good year at the two sites I visited. They were plentiful at Denbies Hillside in Spring and again in Summer at Yoesden Bank.

Glorious, as ever, Nigel. No-one does lycaenids quite like you!