Small Blue

ADULT: Wingspan - 24 -26mm. Males are sooty black on the wings upperside with a fine powdering of blue scales towards the body. Females lack the blue scales and are generally browner in colour. Male and females have silvery-grey undersides with black dots. CHRYSALIS: 8mm. Finely hairy and of a buff colouration with black dots and striped wing cases. LARVA: 10mm. Purplish-grey and grub-like usually found headfirst in foodplants seedpod. EGG: Whitish-blue and disc shaped and located amongst the florets of kidney vetch. Hatching time within 10 days. BEHAVIOUR: A busy looking butterfly that rests often. Sedentary and fond of basking with wings partially open. Rarely fly long distances. HABITAT: South-facing slopes, grassy verges, quarries and embankments. FLIGHT PERIOD: May - June. Single brooded.


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