Tag Archives: Chalkhill Blue

A pale brown and blue butterfly with blck, white and orange markings on a purple flower

Chalkhill Blue (male). Photo: Mark Pike

A brown butterfly with black, white and orange markings on a plant seed head

Chalkhill Blue (female). Photo: Mark Pike

Two more photos of Chalkhill Blues taken by Mark at Badbury Rings on 04/08/2024.  Mark also commented that the female in the second photo showing the back/underside of the wings is a  darker brown than usual.

A blue butterfly with some black and white markings and white fringe to the wings

Chalkhill Blue (male). Photo: Mark Pike

A brown and blue butterfly with black, white and orange markings on green vegetation

Chalkhill Blue ab. albocuneata. Photo: Mark Pike.

Two photos sent in by Mark telling us:

Spent a few hours at Badbury Rings this morning, 04/08/2024 and despite the overcast conditions Chalk Hill Blues were in abundance, but not a great deal else except for a handful of fresh Common Blues which were very welcome.

Editor’s Note:  It took a considerable amount of research by Mark to enable him to identify this aberrant female Chalkhill Blue for which we thank him.

Large pale blue butterfly on a flat thistle flower

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Penny Hawes

Large pale blue butterfly on a flat thistle flower

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Penny Hawes

Penny tells us

Perryfields on Portland was teeming with Blues today (12 August) – lots of Common Blues, and lots of Chalkhills. I love Chalkhills, and love a Carline Thistle, so I’m pleased to combine the two! (Also lots of Blues and Chalkhills at High Angle Battery today.)

 

A blue butterfly with black and white markings

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Scott Willcocks

A pale brown and bluish grey butterfly with black, white and orange markings on a purple flower

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Scott Willcocks

Scott sent in these two photos telling us:

I visited the Isle of Portland on 17/07/2024 where I did the big butterfly count. After finishing I saw my target species, a single Chalkhill Blue – these photos of the upper and underside are both are of the same individual taken at around midday near to the Olympic rings.

A blue butterfly with black and white markings on some green vegetation

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Andrew Reekie

Andrew sent in this photo of a Chalkhill Blue he saw on 14/07/2024 in an area of broken rocks and vegetation just north of Church Ope Cove on Portland on the lower level below the cliffs.

A blue butterfly with black and white markings on a plant seed head

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Sharon Towning

A brown and blue butterfly with black and white markings on a purple flower

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Sharon Towning

Sharon sent in these two photos of Chalkhill Blues she saw at Tout Quarry when she went there looking for them on 13/07/2024 – she told us she managed to see six males flying.

A brown and orange butterfly with some black and paler coloured markings on a grey stone rock

Grayling ab monocellata Photo: Mark Pike

A blue butterfly with black and white markings on a blue flower

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Mark Pike

Two photos from Mark sent in telling us:

With a weather forecast that was totally wrong, I turned up at Tout Quarry today, 14/07/2024 to be greeted to almost 100% cloud rather than the 100% sunshine predicted! However, all was certainly not lost as there was still quite a lot about including this Grayling ab monocellata (the forewing eye spot is just a black dot) and an super fresh Chalk Hill Blue.

A blue and greyish brown butterfly with some black and white markings reating on a brown plant stem

Chalkhill Blue. Photo: Jill Franks

A yellow butterfly with some black, white and brownish markings resting on some broken rock fragments

Clouded Yellow. Photo: Jill Franks

Two photos from Jill sent in telling us:

On 11/09/2023 thanks to three very kind butterfly enthusiasts, I was able to take these photographs on my first visit to Perryfields.  The sun came out too and I was so pleased to get the Chalkhill Blue – my first!