Silver-studded Blue
Silver-studded Blue / plebejus argus. Lindrick Common, S.Yorkshire. 20/06/20.
'EXTRAORDINARY MEETING WITH A BUTTERFLY.'
When I visited Lindrick Common to photograph butterflies, I never imagined for one moment that I would have such an intimate encounter with this male Silver-studded Blue.
I didn't find him, he found me and landed on my t-shirt. Crawling over the cotton he began probing with his proboscis to extract salts ... I presume (?) ... from traces of my perspiration. Although he made occasional short flights, he always returned so I decided to sit on the grass and watch. Gross though it may seem to some, his fascinating performance prompted me to work out how I could take a photograph with one hand!
As if reading my mind, once he returned and obligingly landed on my rucksack. Problem solved, I had both hands free to adjust settings and use the camera. This image is one of the results and gives quite a nice side view of him. It shows the tip of his proboscis inserted between the strong strap fibres. It does leave me wondering if I ought to switch brands of anti-perspirant though!!! :-)
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
Silver-studded Blue
Silver-studded Blue / plebejus argus. Lindrick Common, S.Yorkshire. 20/06/20.
'EXTRAORDINARY MEETING WITH A BUTTERFLY.'
When I visited Lindrick Common to photograph butterflies, I never imagined for one moment that I would have such an intimate encounter with this male Silver-studded Blue.
I didn't find him, he found me and landed on my t-shirt. Crawling over the cotton he began probing with his proboscis to extract salts ... I presume (?) ... from traces of my perspiration. Although he made occasional short flights, he always returned so I decided to sit on the grass and watch. Gross though it may seem to some, his fascinating performance prompted me to work out how I could take a photograph with one hand!
As if reading my mind, once he returned and obligingly landed on my rucksack. Problem solved, I had both hands free to adjust settings and use the camera. This image is one of the results and gives quite a nice side view of him. It shows the tip of his proboscis inserted between the strong strap fibres. It does leave me wondering if I ought to switch brands of anti-perspirant though!!! :-)
BEST VIEWED LARGE.