Common or Adonis blue?

[Ian Pratt]

As the blues became more worn as the season progresses, I was wondering whether these are Adonis or common blues.

[bugboy]

Hi Ian, the lack of a checkered fringe and the violet tinge to the blue indicates these are all Common Blues .

[MikeOxon]

Although there are dark veins across the inner fringe, the key point is that there is at least some of the plain white outer fringe in every case. This alone makes them all Common Blues.

[Roger Gibbons]

I'm not 100% sure about the top one. The blue colour, especially of the hindwing, looks very bright, suggesting Adonis, but the angle of the camera can make the intensity and hue of blue colours deceptive.

It appears that there might have been chequering of the fringes, but as there is rather a lot of wear, it is hard to say what it might have looked like when fresh.

My main reason for expressing doubt is that there is clear spotting at the base of the hindwing, which in my experience (admittedly in mostly France where Adonis is common) strongly suggests Adonis. I have never seen such spotting on a Common Blue.

I would be interested in any other views.

Roger

[Mikhail]

No androconia patch on forewings indicates Common Blue for me.
Edit: compare with this Spanish example.

M.

[bugboy]

I'm not 100% sure about the top one. The blue colour, especially of the hindwing, looks very bright, suggesting Adonis, but the angle of the camera can make the intensity and hue of blue colours deceptive.

It appears that there might have been chequering of the fringes, but as there is rather a lot of wear, it is hard to say what it might have looked like when fresh.

My main reason for expressing doubt is that there is clear spotting at the base of the hindwing, which in my experience (admittedly in mostly France where Adonis is common) strongly suggests Adonis. I have never seen such spotting on a Common Blue.

I would be interested in any other views.

Roger

I have seen the hindwing spotting on Common Blues here in the UK occasionally. I have an image from a few years ago on my computer at home (I'm at work at the mo). I can see enough to see the the double fringe diagnostic for Common Blues.

Edit: here's the picture in question.

app.php/gallery/image/21975

[Padfield]

In my opinion the top one can only be common blue. The structure of the fringe rules out Lysandra, as does the lack of visible androconial scales (as pointed out by Mikhail).

In my experience, pretty well all blues can show the submarginal spots on the hindwing, though I agree it is relatively rare in common blue.

Guy

EDIT - here is a common blue from 19th May this year showing similar spotting:

[David M]

An interesting selection! I agree they are all Common Blues, but they are very beautiful regardless.

[Roger Gibbons]

I take the point.

I have never seen spotting on a Common Blue in France or in the UK, and at least 50% of my Adonis photos from France show some element of spotting.

Roger

[Allan.W.]

All Common Blues for me ,and some beauties ,as for spotting on the wings I,ve seen several ,I believe one spotted (hindwing ) Ab is calle AB;Nigromaculata (or something like that !) I posted an unusual Male Common Blue earlier in the year ,which was very Adonis
like ………….we have naturally occurring hybrids between Adonis/Chalkhill (AB;Polonus ) So maybe Adonis / Common ………..just a thought.
Regards Allan.W.