Celastrina argiolus
The male upper side is bright violet-blue with narrow dark-blue margins and chequered borders. The female upper side is usually a sky-blue with much wider dark-blue margins. Wingspan 35mm.
The caterpillars feed on Holly in the main, also Dogwood, Spindle, Gorse, Bell Heather, Bramble, Raspberry, Hop, and many other herbaceous plants and shrubs. Ivy is usually the second broods’ main food source. The caterpillar has a special relationship with ants, and the pupae are also attended by them.
It flies April to September in two broods. Found in open woods and woodland margins, hedgerows, and parks and gardens. Apart from the Long-tailed Blue, it is the only other European blue to be seen high up in the trees, mainly feeding on sap and honeydew. Seen all over Britain except Scotland, and is common and resident.
Photographs of female Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) taken April 2006, rear garden, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2006. Cameras used Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W1.
Nature Journeys 
We occasionally have one visiting the garden, but I’ve not seen one for a couple of years now. Hopefully absence of evidence does not necessarily mean absence in fact.
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It is a similar story here, yet this year I have seen them more often than in the previous few years, although they have not stayed around long enough to get their photos took.
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Oh… ¡¡It´s beautiful!! Happy week… 🙂
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Thank you Lusalo! Have a great week 🙂
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¡¡Thank youuu, Pete!! 🙂 😉 Hug for you…
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🙂
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🙂
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Great captures 😀 They’ve actually had a good year in 2016 despite other species struggling!
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Thank you, Sarah 🙂 These were taken some years ago with an old Sony Cybershot compact camera. Yes, I have seen quite a few this year, also, and I just love the blues.
And hey, thank you for visiting and for all your likes! I appreciate it! 🙂
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I use the Sony mirrorless system mostly now, love it and wish I could afford the a7r! Blues have always been my favourites 🙂 I saw a lot of common blues in the spring and actually spotted the small blue at Boxhill this year! Hollies can be tough to photograph when they’re keeping high in the trees so most of my images over the years have been the second brood laying their eggs on the ivy in late summer. I had fun looking through all your posts 🙂
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That sounds like a really good camera 🙂 In August I bought the Nikon D7200, which I am really pleased with, especially now I have got used to it 🙂 I just need the time and weather to get out and take some pics!
Thank you very much 🙂
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A good bit of kit by all accounts and you’ve captured some great images with it 🙂 You seem to get the very best out of all the cameras that you’ve used which just goes to show how well you know your subjects!
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Thank you, Sarah 🙂 Some of its just getting yourself out there amongst the natural world, which I love to do, with my camera handy, and some of it is luck, and some things just present themselves when you are least expecting it! I am also still learning, on that curve, each day 🙂
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I think we’re all learning for our entire lives!! Yes, luck is a big factor in wildlife and nature photography. The luck doesn’t come without the perseverance though!
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Yes, of course you are right. We are all learning all our lives! 🙂
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It’s what keeps life so interesting 😀
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🙂
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Gorgeous Pete!
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Thank you, Dwight 🙂
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