Holly Blue Butterfly

This is an update to a post from May 2023 because yesterday I had my macro camera with me.

This is a very small butterfly, retrieved from the polytunnel. The holly Luke is the first of the blue butterflies to emerge in the Spring.

Just like last year, it wouldn’t open its wings 🙄

29 May 2023

This pretty blue butterfly was retrieved from the polytunnel. It took some coaxing to fly away, but wouldn’t open its wings for a photo. I only had my phone with me so couldn’t get any good macro shots. 

The holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) is usually spotted high in the hedgerow. There are two broods with Spring caterpillars, which are a dull tan or pale green colour, eating buds of holly, bramble or spindle and Summer caterpillars mainly feasting on ivy buds.

This is Spindle with its beautiful berries

There are other blues seen on site - more often the lower flying Common Blues which love birdsfoot trefoil, which is growing well on the HAHA Wildlife plot. This is the underside wings of a common blue - very different as you can see.

Both of these beautiful butterflies and their larvae are welcome visitors to the plots.