Common Blue
Common NameCommon Blue
Scientific NamePolyommatus icarus
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
Wingspan (mm)32
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsblue, brown, orange, black, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, heathland, chalk downland, coastal areas, gardens, waste ground
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia
Host PlantsLotus corniculatus, Trifolium repens, Ononis repens
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plants. Larvae are small, green, and often engage in myrmecophily (association with ants). Pupation occurs near the ground, and the species typically overwinters as a larva.
Identification TipsMales are easily identified by their bright blue uppersides. Females are brown with orange spots, and their undersides feature a distinctive pattern of black-and-white ocelli and orange lunules, particularly on the hindwing, which helps differentiate them from similar 'blues' and 'argus' species.
Description
The Common Blue is a small butterfly, with males displaying iridescent violet-blue uppersides and females typically brown with variable blue scaling and orange marginal spots. The underside, as shown, is grey-brown with a series of black spots ringed with white, and often a row of orange lunules on the hindwing.
