Common Blue Butterfly
Image: Dupont Circle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common NameCommon Blue Butterfly
Scientific NamePolyommatus icarus
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
Wingspan (mm)32.5
Primary Colorsblue, brown, orange, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, open areas, chalk downlands
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia
Host PlantsBird's-foot Trefoil
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid on Bird's-foot Trefoil, and the species overwinters as a caterpillar. In good years, two generations emerge, with the second appearing in August.
Identification TipsMales are easily identified by their bright blue upperwings. Females are brown with distinct orange lunules on the hindwings, often with some blue scaling, and can be distinguished from similar species by the specific pattern of black-ringed white spots on the underside.
Description
Males display brilliant iridescent blue wings bordered by white, while females are typically brown with orange lunules, sometimes with blue suffusion. The undersides are pale brown with black spots ringed with white and orange lunules.
