Gallery - Blues

Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus)

A butterfly of chalk and limestone hills. It prefers open grassland on low hillsides.

Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon)

An extremely variable butterfly found throughout most of Europe except Scandinavia. In England it is restricted to the chalk and limestone of southern counties.

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

This common butterfly is found throughout Europe, prefering meadows and flowery hillsides up to about 2500m, although it is seen sometimes in gardens. The catapillar is green with a darker line down the back and yellowish stripes down the side.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

A common butterfly, found throughout Europe except Scotland and North Scandinavia. It prefers woodland clearings and hedgerows but can also be seen flying around parks and gardens. Catapillars vary greatly in both colour and pattern.

Large Blue (Maculinea arion)

Greyish underside and blue flush distinguishes from other blues. Larvae taken into ant nests where they eat ant grubs in return for a sugary secretion which is lapped up by the adult ants.

Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)

Rare migrant from Europe.

Silver-studded Blue (Piebejus argus)

Mainly found in Southern England or North Wales. It prefers sunny heaths and grasslands on chalk hills up to around 2500m.

Small Blue (Cupido minimus)

In the British Isles it lives in small isolated colonies, it prefers south-facing grassy banks and slopes up to around 2000m

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