Two fairly 'common' blue butterflies in the Peterborough area are the Chalkhill Blue and the Common Blue. The top 3 photos show the Chalkhill (male, female, male) and the bottom 4 show the Common (female, female, male, male). These blues have a distinct difference in appearance between the sexes, with the male being the 'blue' one, while the female tends to be brown, although the Common Blue female can sometimes have more blue in the upper wing as is shown in photo 5.
This year seems to have been a good one for Chalkhill Blues with hundreds of thousands of these 'flutters' being present at individual sites. At Barnack Hills and Holes, where these photos were taken, I counted up to 450 before losing count (not thousands, but certainly good numbers). A good news story in a year when butterfly numbers have been low, to say the least.
They appear to have very hairy bodies in some cases!
ReplyDeleteClick here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi Bazza,
DeleteThey do have fairly hairy bodies, although moths tend to be hairier. Not sure why, I will have to look into it!
J
Good to see something doing well this year, haven't seen those kind of numbers on the chalk areas in the south of the county.
ReplyDeleteHi John,
DeleteI have read a report on the Butterfly Conservation website saying that despite the poor summer this species of butterfly has done exceedingly well, perhaps due to its late emergence when we did have better weather.
J
That certainly is a good news story John and some great photos as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Roy,
DeleteOne of only a few this year as far as butterflies are concerned I fear.
J
Lovely photos again John. The Common Blues have been scarce here this year and to see the nearest Chalkhill Blues is a car journey of over an hour and when I did go there were only very few :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan,
DeleteTo be fair, I haven't seen too many Common Blues, it is is unusual that this year I have seen more Chalkhills. I am lucky in having a good site for these only a few miles away from where I live.
J
Great pictures, I love to see the detail.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gillian, I think that I am getting slightly better with the new camera now!
DeleteJ
I love blue butterflies and flowers. This year in Wiltshire it has rained so much that we thought there would no butterflies, but now they come. No blues though - your photos are delightful!
ReplyDeleteHi Minerva,
DeleteThank you, you are too kind!
It has been the same here in Peterborough, not many insects at all, until recently. Bit too late for some species though.
J