Holly Blue - Favourite Photo of 2012

[Vince Massimo]

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

[Wurzel]

Holly Blue
This shot was taken in my garden at the end of March. It’s my favourite because it just came out of nowhere. I’d been reading with growing envy the reports coming in of butterflies left, right and centre due to a mini heat-wave. During the entire 2-3 weeks it lasted I was trapped at work until the very last day before my holiday when I finished early. In between various jobs preparing to visit my out-laws I was lucky enough to get this shot of a female Holly Blue. What was even more lucky was the act that the next day the heat-wave broke and as we approached the Severn bridge it started raining – and it felt like it didn’t really stop until August...

Have a godun
Wurzel

[Goldie M]

My shot was taken near Lulworth Cove in May, the weather was really hot, infact I think it was the best week of the year Goldie

[David M]

An open-winged Holly Blue photo is always a pleasure (particularly a female). I think you have to be a regular butterfly enthusiast to encounter such an opportunity. This is a common and widespread (albeit low density) species, so the more hours you spend in the field the better your chances.

[Neil Freeman]

Getting an open wing Holly Blue photo was one of my targets this year after seeing loads last year but only managing to capture a couple of underside shots.
Fortunatly both spring and summer broods were regular visitors to my garden and I watched every one that I could in the hope that one would settle. I was rewarded early on in April when a female actually settled long enough for me to get a shot

Holly Blue Spring brood female - Coverdale 12.04.2012

A month later I took this underside which I particularly like.

Holly Blue - Coverdale 12.0.2012

In August I managed to get my second open wing female photo of the year, again in my garden

Holly Blue Summer brood female - Coverdale 09.08.2012

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Padfield]

I visited the UK twice this year, in April and at the end of August. The weather in April was dire but we enjoyed a little sun on my August trip. One day (27th August), in the garden, I spent some time communing with a female holly blue. It's not a great photo but in the spirit of 'favourite encounters' rather than 'best photos' I offer a picture of my little friend:



For that picture I encouraged her to open her wings by getting just the right combination of angle and shadow. We got to know each other for about ten minutes, then clouds came over so I let her fly off and find the best place to roost.

Guy

[millerd]

This female spent ages dancing around the flowers on this holly tree before finally settling down to lay. It was too high up to look for the egg afterwards, unfortunately. Photo taken locally on 12th May.

Dave

[CFB]

This is my favourite Holly Blue of the year because I found it near my car after a walk during which I saw very few butterflies, and also because of the under-side detail and the magnificent legs . Is there enough black on the bit of upper-side that is visible to say it is a female?

--
Colin

[Nigel P]

This shot was pure luck. I was photographing Peacocks on the Buddleja and knocked one of the Echinops flower stems, this Holly Blue flew up and then settled on the next flower stem along.

Nigel

[David M]

This is my favourite Holly Blue of the year because I found it near my car after a walk during which I saw very few butterflies, and also because of the under-side detail and the magnificent legs . Is there enough black on the bit of upper-side that is visible to say it is a female?

That's a particularly good shot of a Holly Blue. Must admit, I'm so obsessed with this butterfly actually opening its wings at rest (which is rare) that I pay far less attention than I should to the beautiful pattern on the undersides which has been captured beautifully here.

[Neil Hulme]

Here's my offering - a boldly marked, second brood female taken in my back garden on 28th July. It may well have been her offspring (larvae) that I photographed in September.
Neil