Clouded Yellow. Photo: Mike Kirby
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Mike Kirby
Two photos from Mike sent in telling us:
Southbourne has been continuing to produce the goods, with lots of whites and a fair sprinkling of Common Blues, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies and Small Coppers. The Clouded Yellows are continuing to show well and I managed to catch up with one of the Long-tailed Blues today, 20/09/2024. Let’s hope the weather holds!
Long-tailed Blues. Photo: Michael Gibbons
Michael sent in this stunning image of two Long-tailed Blues he saw at Southbourne yesterday, 19/09/2024 which clearly shows their distinctive “tails”
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Gary Whincup
The place to see butterflies in Dorset at the moment must be Southbourne.
Yesterday we received and published several photos of Clouded Yellows all seen there and then today we have just received this photo of a Long-tailed Blue sent in by Tracy Whincup telling us:
My husband, Gary thought he was photographing some Common Blues today, 18/09/2024 at Southbourne but when I downloaded his photos I was very surprised to see one was in in fact a Long-tailed Blue. I have never seen one at Southbourne before so it’s an exciting find for us.
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Lynda Lambert
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Lynda Lambert
On the day of the national BC online Members’ Morning & AGM it is great to have these two photos from Lynda to share with everyone. The Long-tailed Blue is a fairly rare and irregular visitor to southern England usually in late summer up to the end of September. Lynda sent in the photos telling us:
I thought you might like these photos of the Long-tailed Blue I came across on the heath behind the Kitchen cafe on Hartland Moor today, 03/11/2023. Rather surprising given it’s November and after the storms of late. It is looking a trifle worn, but good to find one nevertheless.
I almost didn’t cross the stream to the boggy heathland after having coffee at the cafe, but so glad I did.
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Shona Refoy
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Shona Refoy
Two photos of a great find sent in by Shona telling us:
Around lunchtime today, 15/09/2023 I was walking along the footpath at the bottom of Ballard Down, heading towards Ulwell and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this male Long-tailed Blue nectaring on marjoram just beside the path. He was there for a couple of minutes, then whizzed over the gorse bush behind the marjoram, heading up the Down. I made my way (rather more slowly) up and round the gorse bush and searched the area for a while but didn’t see him again
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Martin Warren
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Martin Warren
Martin was very definitely in the right place at the right time today and has just sent in these photos to share with us all commenting as follows:
I was amazed to find this very fresh male Long-tailed Blue at Worth Matravers this afternoon, 05/09/2023. It stayed for 2hrs defending a sheltered patch of grass against all intruding butterflies. I knew immediately it was something different because it was zipping manically around, far quicker than other blues. Fortunately it settled once or twice on the end of long grasses, which swayed in the breeze, hence these far from perfect photos. I have heard of one seen in Devon and a few in Sussex this year, but I think this is the first for Dorset.
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Alan Bowley
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Alan Bowley
Alan sent in these two photos of a butterfly which flew into his house in Bridport on 28/09/2022 with some uncertainty about its ID – this however has now been confirmed by our verifiers as a Long-tailed-Blue.
The Long-tailed Blue is a migratory butterfly and occasional visitor to southern England. It is most easily identified by the distinctive “tails” on the trailing edge of the hindwing (clearly shown in these photos) with two adjacent black spots and the white striping on the undersides of both the hindwings and forewings.
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Colin Nunn
Colin sent us this photo he took on his mobile phone of a Long-tailed Blue he saw at Worth Matravers on 10/09/2022.
The Long-tailed Blue is a migratory butterfly that in some years can be seen in southern England. It is most easily identified by the distinctive “tails” on the trailing edge of the hindwing (although these can sometimes become broken), with two adjacent black spots.
This small blue butterfly with ‘tails’ to its hindwings is rarely seen in the UK, but there have been a number of UK sightings this year, including ten in Dorset. We have now had news of the butterfly having bred in a garden Continue reading
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Simon Crampin
Long-tailed Blue. Photo: Simon Crampin
Simon found this Long-tailed Blue at Durlston Head on 22/08/2019 and the second photo clearly shows the tails. This is a butterfly not often seen in this country but we have had 5 records sent to the website this year. They have also been reported in other areas along the south coast, notably in Sussex.
The eggs are laid on Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea, Broom, and possibly a range of other legumes.