Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Friday 15 April 2016

HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Celastrina argiolus) Archea Poli Falassarna, Cape Kutri, Phalasarna, Crete, Greece

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE
Click here for detailed species information

The Holly Blue Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenids which is in the genus Celastrina. It is a widespread species and occurs in Eurasia as well as North America but is absent from the colder northern parts of this range. There are two generations and it is one of the earliest blue butterflies to be seen, emerging in late spring. Later in the season, it can be confused with similar coloured species but it has very distinctive black speckling on its under wing. It is on the wing up to late July. There are 14 subspecies generally recognised which are sub divided geographically into four groups as follows:                               
  • Palaearctic/North African (the argiolus group has four subspecies)
  • South/South-East Asian (the kollari group has two subspecies)     
  • Far Eastern (the ladonides group has three subspecies)
  • North/Central American (the ladon group has five subspecies) 
In North America this species is called The Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina argiolus ladon) and the western subspecies (Celastrina argiolus echo) is known as Echo Blue Butterfly.
 Text © www.rawbirds.com

 

HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Male] (Celastrina argiolus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  

Male Holly Blue Butterfly seen here on Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)


HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY [Female] (Celastrina argiolus) Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Fingal, Co. Dublin, Ireland 

 CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE  


Female Holly Blue Butterfly seen here on Whitethorn (Crataegus monogyna)


ON PHOTO TO SEE HIGHER QUALITY IMAGE