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Common blue


Common blue
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 509 W: 2 N: 2049] (6428)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-17
Categories: Insects
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-09-01 12:02
Viewed: 306
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
Latin name - Polyommatus icarus

The Common Blue is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.

Male uppersides are an iridescent lilac blue with a thin black border. Females are brown with a row of red spots along the edges. They usually have some blue at the base of the wings and, especially in Ireland and Scotland, are mostly blue but always have the red spots. Undersides have a greyish ground colour in the males and more brownish in the females. Both sexes have a row of red spots along the edge of the hindwings (extending onto the forewings though generally fainter, particularly in the males where they are sometimes missing altogether). There are about a dozen black centered white spots on the hind wings, nine on the forwings. The white fringe on the outer edge of the wings is not crossed with black lines as it is in the Chalkhill and Adonis Blues, an important difference when separating these species, particularly the females.

It is Britain's (and probably Europe's) most common and most widespread blue, found as far north as Orkney and on most of the Outer Hebrides. Males are often very obvious as they defend territories against rivals and search out the more reclusive females. A range of grassland habitats are used: meadows, coastal dunes, woodland clearings and also many man made habitats, anywhere where their food plants are found.

It is widespread in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia.
The main food plant on most sites is Bird's foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Others used include Black Medick Medicago lupulina, Common Restharrow Ononis repens, White Clover Trifolium repens and Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium. Eggs are laid singly on young shoots of their food plants.

The caterpillar is small, pale green with yellow stripes and as usual with lycid larvae rather slug-like. Hibernation occurs as a half grown larvae. They are attractive to ants but not as much as some other species of blues. The chrysalis is olive green/brown and formed on the ground where it is attended by ants which will often take it into their nests. The larvae creates a substance called honey dew, which the ants eat while the butterfly lives in the ant hill. In the south of Britain there are two broods a year flying in May and June and again in August and September. Northern England has one brood flying between June and September. In a long warm year there is sometimes a partial third brood in the south flying into October.
nglen, accassidy, siggi, boreocypriensis, eqshannon, gracious, xTauruSx, techranger, jaycee, buscape, Jamesp, anel, gpeler has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5959] (22526)
  • [2008-09-01 12:08]

Hi gert. A nice POV on this Blue. Showing us the underwing and the face. You have captured it with good detail and colours. with a nice pose on the flower. well done TFS. Interesting notes too.
Nick..

Hi Gert,
Very unusual point of view with excellent depth of field. Rather like my Blue Copper posted a couple of weeks ago in some ways. Well done and TFS.
Alan

Hi Big Bro, a wonderful shot of this common free from an anusual and nice viewpoint. Great details and DOF.
TFS and Cheers,

Bayram

Now here is one of YOUR top drawer shots Gert. it is simply super in a dynamic way in which colors play off of each other and into and out of the depth of field...This is almost or borderline surrealistic! Very nicely done!
Bob

Hello Gert,
Good morning from NZ!
Wow, This is a true beauty with that pose of the Common Blue!
the dark green bg makes it even more beautiful and outstanding in the image
very sharp with good colour and details
take care and regards
Tony

Hello Gert, wonderful close-up with perefect details and lighting.
TFSans regards, Deniz

Nice postioning of the Common Blue and a nice pose. Lots of movement and energy here. Well done. TFS

Larry

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1909 W: 8 N: 4974] (16081)
  • [2008-09-01 16:45]

Hi Gert,

You work magic - these wonderful butterflies pose so nicely for you. This Common Blue on the lovely violet flower is beautiful. The view of the face and wings is magnificent. Superb background and composition.

Jane

Hello Gert,
a interesting POV of this butterfly.
The colors are beautiful and I like the blurry BG.
Sharpness and details are great too.
Wonderful composition
Thanks for sharing

Excellent shot, Gert!I've yet to come across one like this one!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1303 W: 0 N: 5097] (15194)
  • [2008-09-01 23:03]

Hi Gert

Excellent work here. The pose combined with the colours and lighting create an excellent shot. Well seen and captured.

JAmes

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 475 W: 11 N: 1334] (4670)
  • [2008-09-02 0:27]

Hello Gert,
A beautiful blue butterfly.The composition is lovely and the BG looks wonderful.Very good DOF and POV.Excellent detail and textures .Well done.TFS
Siggi

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1241 W: 0 N: 2229] (9388)
  • [2008-09-02 0:41]

Hello Gert,
Very special composition and point of view. But it works! just a little noisy background, but we cannot choose sometimes. Very cute little Common Blue. They always look so charming.
Thanks
Anne

Hello Gert,

Beautiful capture of this blue. I like the composition very much. Very good POV and DOF. Superb colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1067 W: 26 N: 3196] (11461)
  • [2008-09-02 8:56]

Hi Gert,
very well composed with an great POV and detail. DOF is also very good, seperating the Butterfly well from the background.
tfs
Paul

  • Great 
  • efsus Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 22 N: 358] (1844)
  • [2008-09-02 11:17]

Merhba Gert,
Harika bir kompozisyon. Renkler, keskinlik ve diğer detaylar kusursuz. Eline sağlık.
Hüseyin

Hello Gert,
Wonderful macro of this beautiful butterfly. You captured this pose perfectly. TFS.
Have a nice weekend.
Best Regards,
Gamze:)

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