Silver Studded Chalk Hill Blue?!

[mvpike]

Having just sorted through some of my 2017 images I came across this unusual looking Chalk Hill Blue that I photographed at Badbury Rings, Dorset. With the hint of silver near the orange spots It almost looks like a cross with a Silver Studded Blue?! Does anyone know if this is a known aberration??

Cheers,

Mark.

[Allan.W.]

Hello Mark,
Take a look on page 89 ,of "Millerds" excellent personal diary, posted J uly 25th. Regards Allan.W.

[mvpike]

Many thanks for that Allan, so glad that someone sussed out the ab before I did, there are loads!

Mark.

[Allan.W.]

As I,m sure you,re aware Mark ,Chalkhill Blues are very variable ,and I believe ,early in the 1900,s a whole volume was
dedicated to their variations ( By Bright and Leeds ,I think ), sitting here in awful weather,and stuck indoors,i thought I,d sift through the 100+ descriptions on the sites Chalkhill section ,and found one AB; that may fit the bill. AB; Argenteoguttata. (bit of a mouthful !)
Regards Allan.W.

[David M]

The lateral black stripes through the margins indicate either Chalk Hill or Adonis, and a look at the undersides rules out the latter.

There surely can't be many (if any) sites in the UK where SSB and CHB fly together simultaneously.

[Padfield]

I'm not sure of the frequency, but the 'silver studs' are an occasional feature in chalkhill blue. Here are two different males showing the phenomenon, both photographed in North Spain this summer:





Skimming through pictures from previous years I find quite a number show at least some blue scales. All my pictures are taken on the continent, of course, where it might be more common.

Guy

[bugboy]

I won't worry about posting more images but having just flicked through a few years worth I have several individuals (both sexes) with these markings also, mostly from Denbies Hillside.