Holly blue / Celastrina argiolus - Taken at North Aegean region - Turkey
Holly blue / Celastrina argiolus
The holly blue is a butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family and is native to the Palearctic and North America. The holly blue has pale silver-blue wings spotted with pale ivory dots.With a 3cm wingspan and sky blue upper wings bordered in black (narrow borders in males and broad borders in females), the Holly Blue is one of the most distinctive of the so-called 'blues'. The underwings are a very pale ivory-blue with black spots. The spring-emerging adults fly in April, May and June and are commonly seen in scrubby grasslands, woodland edges and parks.
What does a holly blue butterfly look like?
The holly blue is a bright blue butterfly; females have black wing edges. It is smaller than the very rare large blue, and a lot larger than the tiny small blue. It is distinguished from all the other blues by the black spots on its silvery-blue underside - other blues sport orange spots.
Lifecycle
Eggs are laid singly at the base of Holly buds, and the green catterpillars (often with pinkish-brown markings) grow to a length of 1.2cm within three weeks; they then pupate as brown crysalises some 9mm in length attached to a leaf or a stem. Adults emerge in spring within typically two to three weeks, depending on temperature. In Britain and Ireland there is also a summer brood that can be seen on the wing from late June to early October. This butterfly overwinters in its pupal state.
What do holly blue butterflies eat?
Caterpillars: feed on the flower buds of holly and ivy. The larvae bore into the side of the bud and eat the contents. Adults: feed on nectar, tree sap and juice from rotting fruit and carrion.
Where do holly blue butterflies lay their eggs?
The white eggs are laid singly at the base of unopened flower buds of the foodplant. Eggs laid in spring are typically laid on Holly, whereas the summer eggs are typically laid on Ivy.
Thank you so much for visiting my stream, whether you comments , favorites or just have a look.
I appreciate it very much, wishing the best of luck and good light.
© All rights reserved R.Ertug
Please do not use this image without my explicit written permission. Contact me by Flickr mail if you want to buy or use Your comments and critiques are very well appreciated.
Thanks for stopping and looking :)
Holly blue / Celastrina argiolus - Taken at North Aegean region - Turkey
Holly blue / Celastrina argiolus
The holly blue is a butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family and is native to the Palearctic and North America. The holly blue has pale silver-blue wings spotted with pale ivory dots.With a 3cm wingspan and sky blue upper wings bordered in black (narrow borders in males and broad borders in females), the Holly Blue is one of the most distinctive of the so-called 'blues'. The underwings are a very pale ivory-blue with black spots. The spring-emerging adults fly in April, May and June and are commonly seen in scrubby grasslands, woodland edges and parks.
What does a holly blue butterfly look like?
The holly blue is a bright blue butterfly; females have black wing edges. It is smaller than the very rare large blue, and a lot larger than the tiny small blue. It is distinguished from all the other blues by the black spots on its silvery-blue underside - other blues sport orange spots.
Lifecycle
Eggs are laid singly at the base of Holly buds, and the green catterpillars (often with pinkish-brown markings) grow to a length of 1.2cm within three weeks; they then pupate as brown crysalises some 9mm in length attached to a leaf or a stem. Adults emerge in spring within typically two to three weeks, depending on temperature. In Britain and Ireland there is also a summer brood that can be seen on the wing from late June to early October. This butterfly overwinters in its pupal state.
What do holly blue butterflies eat?
Caterpillars: feed on the flower buds of holly and ivy. The larvae bore into the side of the bud and eat the contents. Adults: feed on nectar, tree sap and juice from rotting fruit and carrion.
Where do holly blue butterflies lay their eggs?
The white eggs are laid singly at the base of unopened flower buds of the foodplant. Eggs laid in spring are typically laid on Holly, whereas the summer eggs are typically laid on Ivy.
Thank you so much for visiting my stream, whether you comments , favorites or just have a look.
I appreciate it very much, wishing the best of luck and good light.
© All rights reserved R.Ertug
Please do not use this image without my explicit written permission. Contact me by Flickr mail if you want to buy or use Your comments and critiques are very well appreciated.
Thanks for stopping and looking :)