Garden "blue" butterflies - some are brown or golden!
Globally, the Lycaenidae is one of the largest butterfly families with over 6,000 species. There are 129
species in Europe and 15 in Britain and Ireland - although a number of additional occasional migrants and oddities are recorded on the
UK butterflies website. The 4 garden species include members of the subfamilies Lycaeninae (the coppers) which are red/brown in colour, and the Polyommatinae (the blues) which are mainly metallic blue in colour, but one species (and one female) are predominately brown. The 5 hairstreaks or Theclinae are not normally found in gardens.
They are all small butterflies, with attractive dotted and barred underwings, and many species have a strong relationship with ants. Some larvae can exude an attractive amino acid and sugars mix from their abdomen which ants relish, and the ants provide protection to the larvae.
Fairly common in gardens.
Males have bright, metallic blue wings with a black edge white margins
Females are mainly brown with little blue, in the central of the wings. They also have a line of orange and black spots on the edges of the wings.
Wingspan 29 - 36mm
The least common "blue" in gardens. The males and females are both dark brown with prominent bright orange spots around the edge.
The female common blue looks similar to the brown argus (but with less obvious orange spots) and is much more likely to he seen in gardens.
Wingspan 25 - 31mm
One of the commonest garden butterflies, the holly blue has bright (but not metallic ) light blue wings, with black edges in the female.
Wingspan 26 to 34mm
Both sexes have bright copper-coloured forwings with black patches and brown margins. The hind wings are brown with a copper band at the bottom. Undersides of the wings are golden and pale brown.
Wingspan 26 to 36mm
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
Garden "blue" butterflies - some are brown or golden!
Globally, the Lycaenidae is one of the largest butterfly families with over 6,000 species. There are 129 species in Europe and 15 in Britain and Ireland - although a number of additional occasional migrants and oddities are recorded on the UK butterflies website. The 4 garden species include members of the subfamilies Lycaeninae (the coppers) which are red/brown in colour, and the Polyommatinae (the blues) which are mainly metallic blue in colour, but one species (and one female) are predominately brown. The 5 hairstreaks or Theclinae are not normally found in gardens.
They are all small butterflies, with attractive dotted and barred underwings, and many species have a strong relationship with ants. Some larvae can exude an attractive amino acid and sugars mix from their abdomen which ants relish, and the ants provide protection to the larvae.
Fairly common in gardens.
Males have bright, metallic blue wings with a black edge white margins
Females are mainly brown with little blue, in the central of the wings. They also have a line of orange and black spots on the edges of the wings.
Wingspan 29 - 36mm
The least common "blue" in gardens. The males and females are both dark brown with prominent bright orange spots around the edge.
The female common blue looks similar to the brown argus (but with less obvious orange spots) and is much more likely to he seen in gardens.
Wingspan 25 - 31mm
One of the commonest garden butterflies, the holly blue has bright (but not metallic) light blue wings, with black edges in the female.
Wingspan 26 to 34mm
Both sexes have bright copper-coloured forwings with black patches and brown margins. The hind wings are brown with a copper band at the bottom. Undersides of the wings are golden and pale brown.
Wingspan 26 to 36mm
Page written and compiled by Steve Head