Adonis1.jpg
Adonis2.jpg
Adonis3.jpg
Adonis4.jpg
AdonisMeadow1.jpg
Adonis5.jpg
Denbies Hillside
Denbies Hillside
Denbies Hillside
Denbies Hillside
Denbies Hillside
Denbies Hillside
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This species is the same size as a Common Blue. The males afre hard to tell apart, but have a more prominent white fringe with distinctive dark veins. This applies to the females too, but the Adonis Blue females are darker and less brown looking than the Common Blue females. This butterfly is much rarer than the Common Blue, but where colonies do occur (South facing chalk slopes with Horseshoe Vetch) it can appear in quite large numbers. 2nd June 2006 at Denbies Hillside was particularly spectacular with up to 1000 individuals present on one relatively small slope.
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Adonis1.jpg |
Adonis2.jpg |
Adonis3.jpg |
Adonis4.jpg |
AdonisMeadow1.jpg |
Adonis5.jpg |
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2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Colony Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
 Adonis6.jpg |
 Adonis7.jpg |
 AdonisMeadow2.jpg |
 Adonis8.jpg |
 Adonis9.jpg |
 Adonis10.jpg |
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2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Colony Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Female Denbies Hillside |
 Adonis11.jpg |
 Adonis12.jpg |
 Adonis13.jpg |
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2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
2nd June 2006 - Male Denbies Hillside |
 Adonis1.jpg |
 Adonis1Scales.jpg |
 Adonis2a.jpg |
 Adonis2b.jpg |
 Adonis3a.jpg |
 Adonis3b.jpg |
 Adonis4a.jpg |
 Adonis4b.jpg |
 AdonisBurnet.jpg |
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9th May 2009 - Same Butterfly (Male) Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Same Butterfly (Female) Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Same Butterfly (Male) Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Same Butterfly (Male) Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Male (Left) Denbies Hillside |
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A couple of mm bigger than Green Hairstreak, this is quite a rare butterfly. Much of the time it stays high up in trees such as Buckthorn but will come down to nectar on bramble, privet and so on when conditions are right.
 BlackHS1a.jpg |
 BlackHS1b.jpg |
 BlackHS2.jpg |
 BlackHS3.jpg |
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17th June 2007 - Same Butterfly. Glapthorn Cow Pasture |
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 BlackHS4a.jpg |
 BlackHS4b.jpg |
 BlackHS5a.jpg |
 BlackHS5b.jpg |
 BlackHS5c.jpg |
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17th June 2007 - Same Butterfly. Glapthorn Cow Pasture |
17th June 2007 - Same Butterfly. Glapthorn Cow Pasture |
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This butterfly looks very similar to the female Common Blue. It looks slightly smaller and duller than the male Common Blue in flight. Compared to the female Common Blue it has a different spot pattern on the underside of the wings, and no hint of blue even on the thorax.
 BrownArgus1.jpg |
 BrownArgus2a.jpg |
 BrownArgus2b.jpg |
 BrownArgus3.jpg |
 BrownArgus1.jpg |
 BrownArgus2.jpg |
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3rd June 2006 Bison Hill |
3rd June 2006 - Same Butterfly Bison Hill |
3rd June 2006 Bison Hill |
18th May 2007 Holme Dunes |
18th May 2007 Holme Dunes |
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 BrownArgus3.jpg |
 BrownArgus4.jpg |
 BrownArgus.jpg |
 BrownArgusClosed.jpg |
 BrownArgusOpen.jpg |
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18th May 2007 Holme Dunes |
18th May 2007 Holme Dunes |
3rd June 2007 Sharpenhoe Clappers |
30th July 2007 - Same Butterfly Horsenden Hill |
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 BrownArgus1.jpg |
 BrownArgus2.jpg |
 BrownArgus3.jpg |
 BrownArgus.jpg |
 MatingBrownArguses.jpg |
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8th August 2007 - Same Butterfly Horsenden Hill |
9th May 2009 Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Mating Pair Denbies Hillside |
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A couple of mm bigger than Green Hairstreak, this is another rare butterfly. This one likes Blackthorn but will come down to nectar on plants such as Thistle and Angelica. Like the Purple Hairstreaks this one does bask. However I have yet to get a shot of an open-winged one.
 BrownHairstreak1.jpg |
 BrownHairstreak2.jpg |
 BrownHairstreak3.jpg |
 BrownHairstreak.jpg |
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10th August 2007 - Same Butterfly. Hell Coppice, Oakley Wood |
8th August 2009 Whitecross Green Wood |
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This species is just slightly bigger than the Common Blue and seems to exhibit very similar behaviour. Chalkhill Blue colonies seem to be denser than Common Blue colonies too. Males are blue but females are more brown in colour.
 ChalkhillBlue1.jpg |
 ChalkhillBlue2.jpg |
 Chalkhill1.jpg |
 Chalkhill2.jpg |
 ChalkhillBlueOpen.jpg |
 ChalkhillBlueClosed.jpg |
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18th July 2005 - Male Sharpenhoe Clappers |
18th July 2005 - Male Sharpenhoe Clappers |
14th July 2007 - Same Butterfly (Male) Sharpenhoe Clappers |
4th August 2007 - Same Butterfly (Male) Bald Hill, Aston Rowant |
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 MaleChalkhillBlue.jpg |
 FemaleChalkhillBlue1.jpg |
 FemaleChalkhillBlue2.jpg |
 CHB1a.jpg |
 CHB1b.jpg |
 CHB1c.jpg |
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10th August 2007 - Male Ivinghoe Beacon |
10th August 2007 - Same Butterfly (Female) Ivinghoe Beacon |
15th July 2009 - Same Butterfly (Male) Ivinghoe Beacon |
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This species is very small, at about 2cm across in size. It seems to love clover.
 TinyBlue.jpg |
 CommonBlue.jpg |
 Butterfly1.jpg |
 Butterfly2.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlueSide.jpg |
 CommonBlue.jpg |
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30th May 2003 - Male Stockley Park |
3rd June 2003 - Male Stockley Park |
4th June 2003 - Same Butterfly (Female). Stockley Park |
5th June 2003 - Male from the side. Stockley Park |
9th June 2003 - Male Stockley Park |
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 CommonBlueClosed.jpg |
 CommonBlueOpen.jpg |
 CommonBlue.jpg |
 CommonBlue.jpg |
 CommonBlueClosed.jpg |
 CommonBlueOpen.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue.jpg |
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5th September 2003 - Same Butterfly (Female). Stockley Park |
8th June 2004 - Male Stockley Park |
9th June 2004 - Male Stockley Park |
10th June 2004 - Male Stockley Park |
10th June 2004 - Male Stockley Park |
21st August 2004 - Female Lasham Airfield |
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 Blue.jpg |
 CommonBlue1.jpg |
 CommonBlue2.jpg |
 CommonBlue3.jpg |
 CommonBlue4.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue1.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue2.jpg |
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20th July 2005 - Female Lasham Airfield |
4th August 2005 - Male Barnhill |
4th August 2005 - Same Butterfly (Male). Barnhill |
28th August 2005 - Same Butterfly (Male). Bicester Airfield |
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 FemaleCommonBlue1a.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue1b.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue2a.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue2b.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue3.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue1.jpg |
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28th August 2005 - Same Butterfly (Female). Bicester Airfield |
28th August 2005 - Same Butterfly (Female). Bicester Airfield |
28th August 2005 - Female Bicester Airfield |
3rd June 2006 - Male Bison Hill |
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 FemaleCommonBlue1.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue2.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue2.jpg |
 CommonBluesMating.jpg |
 CommonBlue1.jpg |
 CommonBlue2.jpg |
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3rd June 2006 - Female Bison Hill |
3rd June 2006 - Female Bison Hill |
3rd June 2006 - Male Bison Hill |
3rd June 2006 - Mating Pair Bison Hill |
18th May 2007 - Male Holme Dunes |
18th May 2007 - Male Holme Dunes |
 FemaleCommonBlue.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue1a.jpg |
 MaleCommonBlue1b.jpg |
 CommonBlue1a.jpg |
 CommonBlue1b.jpg |
 FemaleCommonBlue.jpg |
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3rd June 2007 - Female Sharpenhoe Clappers |
17th June 2007 - Same Butterfly (Male) Fineshade Woods |
10th August 2008 - Same Butterfly (Male) Aston Rowant |
14th August 2008 - Female Horsenden Hill |
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 CommonBlue.jpg |
 MatingCommonBlues1a.jpg |
 MatingCommonBlues1b.jpg |
 MatingCommonBlues1c.jpg |
 CommonBlue1a.jpg |
 CommonBlue1b.jpg |
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9th May 2009 - Male Denbies Hillside |
9th May 2009 - Same Butterflies (Mating Pair) Denbies Hillside |
8th August 2009 - Same Butterfly (Female) Whitecross Green Wood |
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 CommonBlue2.jpg |
 MatingCommonBlues1.jpg |
 MatingCommonBlues2.jpg |
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8th August 2009 - Female Whitecross Green Wood |
26th May 2010 - Same Butterflies (Male Left, Female Right) Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
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This 2-3cm butterfly is similar in size to a Common or Holly Blue. It flies in a similar way to a Common Blue, staying close to the ground. When perched it always keeps its wings closed, but otherwise exhibits behaviour similar to a Holly Blue (like the wiggling of its hind wings). Note the variability of the white spots on the hind wings.
 GreenHairstreak1.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak2.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak.jpg |
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19th May 2005 - Same Butterfly. Lasham Airfield |
10th May 2006 Bison Hill |
25th May 2006 Sharpenhoe Clappers |
2nd June 2006 Tugley Wood |
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 GreenHairstreak1.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak2.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak1.jpg |
 GreenHairstreak2.jpg |
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21st April 2007 Bison Hill |
21st April 2007 Bison Hill |
24th April 2009 Ivinghoe Beacon |
24th April 2009 Bison Hill |
This ~3cm butterfly is a bit bigger than the common blue. The female has dark bands on the top side of its wings.
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue1.jpg |
 HollyBlue2.jpg |
 HollyBlue3.jpg |
 HollyBlue4.jpg |
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26th August 2003 Stockley Park |
10th May 2004 - Same Butterfly (Female). Stockley Park |
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 HollyBlueSide.jpg |
 HollyBlueHead.jpg |
 HollyBlueZoomedOut.jpg |
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue1.jpg |
 HollyBlue2.jpg |
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13th May 2004 - Same Butterfly (Female). Stockley Park |
7th July 2004 - Same Butterfly (Male). Stockley Park |
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 MaleHollyBlue1.jpg |
 MaleHollyBlue2.jpg |
 FemaleHollyBlue1.jpg |
 FemaleHollyBlue2.jpg |
 FemaleHollyBlue3.jpg |
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22nd April 2005 - Same Butterfly (Male). Gunnersbury Park |
8th May 2005 - Same Butterfly (Female). Kenton |
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 MaleHollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue1.jpg |
 HollyBlue2.jpg |
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13th May 2005 - Male Gunnersbury Park |
11th July 2005 Crooked Mile |
18th April 2006 Barnhill |
1st July 2007 Horsenden Hill |
4th August 2007 - Same Butterfly Horsenden Hill |
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 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlueZoom.jpg |
 HollyBlue.jpg |
 HollyBlue1.jpg |
 HollyBlue2.jpg |
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22nd April 2008 - Same Butterfly (Male). Horsenden Hill |
12th August 2008 Horsenden Hill |
13th April 2009 - Same Butterfly (Male). Aquadrome |
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This species has recently been re-introduced to some sites where the host ant still lives. The native British race went extinct a while back and the re-introduction has been via a European race of the same species. It is slightly larger and darker than the Common Blue and has distinctive black spots on the top of its forewings.
 LargeBlue1.jpg |
 LargeBlue2.jpg |
 LargeBlue3.jpg |
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17th June 2010 - Female Oviposting Collard Hill |
17th June 2010 Collard Hill |
17th June 2010 Collard Hill |
This species is quite small and tends to live high up in oak (and surrounding) trees. I have not seen it close up as yet, but did manage to get a long distance shot of one. They fly in a similar way to Holly Blues when on the move and are also similar in size.
 DistantPurpleHairstreak.jpg |
 WLHandPH.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak1.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak2.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak.jpg |
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11th July 2005 Broxbourne Wood |
1st July 2007 (Right) Horsenden Hill |
1st July 2007 - Male Horsenden Hill |
16th July 2007 Horsenden Hill |
16th July 2007 - Female Horsenden Hill |
19th July 2007 - Female Horsenden Hill |
 PurpleH1.jpg |
 PurpleH2.jpg |
 PurpleH3.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak1a.jpg |
 PurpleHairstreak1b.jpg |
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21st July 2007 - Same Butterfly Barnhill |
28th July 2008 - Same Butterfly Oversley Wood |
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Similar in size and behaviour to a Common Blue. But much more distinctive colouring on the wings. Prefers heathland where heather is not too overgrown.
 SilverStuddedBlue1.jpg |
 SilverStuddedBlue2.jpg |
 SilverStuddedBlue3.jpg |
 SilverStuddedBlue4.jpg |
 SilverStuddedBlue5.jpg |
 SilverStuddedBlue6.jpg |
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16th July 2006 - Same Butterfly (Male). Chobham Common |
16th July 2006 - Same Butterfly (Female). Chobham Common |
16th July 2006 - Same Butterfly (Male). Chobham Common |
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 MaleSSBlue1.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue2a.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue2b.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue2c.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue3a.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue3b.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue3c.jpg |
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4th July 2008 - Male. Chobham Common |
4th July 2008 - Same Butterfly (Male). Chobham Common |
4th July 2008 - Same Butterfly (Male). Chobham Common |
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 MaleSSBlue4.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue5.jpg |
 FemaleSSBlue1a.jpg |
 FemaleSSBlue1b.jpg |
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4th July 2008 - Male. Chobham Common |
4th July 2008 - Male. Chobham Common |
4th July 2008 - Same Butterfly (Female). Chobham Common |
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 MaleSSBlue1.jpg |
 FemaleSSBlue1a.jpg |
 FemaleSSBlue1b.jpg |
 MaleSSBlue2.jpg |
 FemaleSSBlue2.jpg |
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23rd July 2008 - Male. Chobham Common |
23rd July 2008 - Same Butterfly (Female). Chobham Common |
23rd July 2008 - Male. Chobham Common |
23rd July 2008 - Female. Chobham Common |
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 SSBlue1a.jpg |
 SSBlue1b.jpg |
 SSBlue2.jpg |
 SSBlue3a.jpg |
 SSBlue3b.jpg |
 SSBlue4.jpg |
 SSBlue5.jpg |
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20th June 2010 - Same Butterfly (Male). Chobham Common |
20th June 2010 - Male. Esher Common |
20th June 2010 - Same Butterfly (Female). Esher Common |
20th June 2010 - Male. Esher Common |
20th June 2010 - Male. Esher Common |
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 SSBlue6a.jpg |
 SSBlue6b.jpg |
 SSBlues7a.jpg |
 SSBlues7b.jpg |
 SSBlue8a.jpg |
 SSBlue8b.jpg |
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20th June 2010 - Same Butterfly (Female). Esher Common |
20th June 2010 - Same Butterflies (Mating Pair). Esher Common |
20th June 2010 - Same Butterfly (Female). Esher Common |
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This is the smallest British butterfly. It isn't much more than 1cm across. It stays low to the ground too. The ones I saw were in quite large numbers in colonies, but also in lower numbers over a wider area. When feeding or at rest wings closed I noticed the hind wings waggle just like with the Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak. With wings open they look plainer and duller than their bigger cousins.
 SmallBlue1a.jpg |
 SmallBlue1b.jpg |
 SmallBlue2.jpg |
 SmallBlue3.jpg |
 SmallBlue4.jpg |
 SmallBlue5.jpg |
 SmallBlue6.jpg |
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7th June 2006 - Same Butterfly. Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
7th June 2006 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
7th June 2006 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
7th June 2006 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
7th June 2006 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
7th June 2006 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
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 SmallBlue7a.jpg |
 SmallBlue7b.jpg |
 SmallBlue7c.jpg |
 SmallBlue1.jpg |
 SmallBlue2a.jpg |
 SmallBlue2b.jpg |
 SmallBlue3.jpg |
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7th June 2006 - Same Butterfly. Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
23rd May 2009 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
23rd May 2009 - Same Butterfly. Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
23rd May 2009 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
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 SmallBlue1a.jpg |
 SmallBlue1b.jpg |
 SmallBlue1.jpg |
 SmallBlue2.jpg |
 SmallBlue3.jpg |
 SmallBlues.jpg |
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13th July 2009 - Same Butterfly. Lulworth Cove |
26th May 2010 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
26th May 2010 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
26th May 2010 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
26th May 2010 Totternhoe / Sewell Cutting |
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This is a smallish ~3cm butterfly. It has distinctive bright red / orange patches with dark spots.
 SmallCopper1.jpg |
 SmallCopper2.jpg |
 SmallCopper3.jpg |
 SmallCopper1.jpg |
 SmallCopper2.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
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27th May 2004 - Same Butterfly. Stockley Park |
2nd June 2004 Stockley Park |
2nd June 2004 Stockley Park |
7th June 2004 Stockley Park |
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 SmallCopper1.jpg |
 SmallCopper2.jpg |
 SmallCopper1.jpg |
 SmallCopper2.jpg |
 SmallCopper1.jpg |
 SmallCopper2.jpg |
 SmallCopper3.jpg |
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4th August 2005 - Same Butterfly. Barnhill |
28th August 2005 - Same Butterfly. Bicester Airfield |
2nd June 2006 - Same Butterfly. Tugley Wood |
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 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCoppers1.jpg |
 SmallCoppers2.jpg |
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23rd September 2006 Barnhill |
17th April 2007 Grove Farm |
24th April 2007 Horsenden Hill |
26th April 2007 Horsenden Hill |
17th May 2007 Horsenden Hill |
24th May 2007 - Same Butterflies (Mating Pair). Horsenden Hill |
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 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper.jpg |
 SmallCopper1a.jpg |
 SmallCopper1b.jpg |
 SmallCopper1c.jpg |
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30th July 2007 Horsenden Hill |
13th May 2008 Horsenden Hill |
21st May 2008 Horsenden Hill |
14th August 2008 Horsenden Hill |
28th April 2009 Horsenden Hill |
8th August 2009 - Same Butterfly. Whitecross Green Wood |
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A couple of mm bigger than Green Hairstreak, this is quite a common butterfly but hard to see up close as it spends much of the time high up in Elm trees. However if you are lucky enough you can find them coming down to nectar on plants such as bramble and thistle. Up until 1st July 2007 this was a bogey species for me as I never seemed to be able to spot them. So it was highly satisfying to not only see them, but get close to them.
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WLHandPH.jpg |
 WLHairstreak1.jpg |
 WLHairstreak2.jpg |
 WLHairstreak3.jpg |
 WLHairstreak4.jpg |
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1st July 2007 (Left) Horsenden Hill |
1st July 2007 Horsenden Hill |
1st July 2007 - Same Butterfly. Horsenden Hill |
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 WLHairstreak5.jpg |
 WLHairstreak6.jpg |
 WLHairstreak7.jpg |
 WLH.jpg |
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1st July 2007 Horsenden Hill |
1st July 2007 - Same Butterfly. Horsenden Hill |
23rd June 2008 Horsenden Hill |
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