Holly Blue Butterfly - Celastrina argiolus, species information page

Holly Blue Butterfly (male ♂), click for a larger photo

Holly Blue Butterfly (female ♀) - Celastrina argiolus, click for a larger photo

Pictures © David Miller

Holly Blue Butterfly - Celastrina argiolus

Grows to between 20-30mm (0.8-1.2in). Inhabiting Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. Found mainly in southern England, Wales and southern Ireland, occurring in scrub and damp woodlands, often in clearings rich in flowers, they like to sit on the leaves of shrubs and trees. Pale blue in colour with narrow black and white outer margin to both wing pairs, appears silvery whilst in flight, at rest shows white wings with black spots. Two (sometimes three) generations in a year, the first flying April to May and laying eggs on Holly, the second flying August to September laying eggs on Ivy. Caterpillars can live on various shrubs, mostly Holly, Ivy and Buckthorn, the pupa hibernates.

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