Holly Blue Ovum on Hebe

[Paul Harfield]

In what would seem to be a great year for Holly Blue, they have been constant visitors to my garden over the last few weeks. They seem to find a large Hebe bush irresistible both for nectaring and basking. On Saturday I spotted a female spending longer than normal on one of the flower heads. On closer inspection I could see she was probing between the florets with her abdomen looking for a place to lay. Upon examination afterwards I found a single egg. The individual florets are now open on this flower head and are normally fairly shortlived. They will probably be finished by the time this egg hatches
Is this a recognized foodplant for this species Does the fact that it has been laid on this plant automatically mean that the larva will be happy here

Holly Blue ovum on Hebe

[Pete Eeles]

Does the fact that it has been laid on this plant automatically mean that the larva will be happy here

P1070295.JPG

Excellent observation, Paul - keep an eye on the egg and let us know if the larva develops ok

Cheers,

- Pete

[essexbuzzard]

I saw a Holly Blue laying eggs on garden Astilbe a few years ago. Kept checking next few weeks for caterpillars,but no sign. So i don't think they made it,it seems the females can make mistakes.

[Paul Harfield]

Further updates on this in my PD as and when they happen:D

[Cotswold Cockney]

Have seen female Holly Blues inspecting various plants and shrubs over the years, Have seen them lay on the Climber Virgina Creeper too. I suspect it uses a variety of foodplants in addition to the better known usual two.

Be interested to know how this single ovum progresses in the future. Many years since I bred Holly Blues but I do remember the larvae feed up and pupate very quickly. If this plant is suitable, the flowers or the developing seeds on that flower cluster will be ample to feed up a small larva.