Silver Studded Blues Mating

These tiny, beautiful butterflies are now rare and fast declining. They are found on the heaths of Southern England and are divided into 4 races. Two others are extinct already.

Silver Studded Blue Roosting

I found this blue, and several others, roosting in the long grass on Yateley common. With each passing year, ths butterfly fades away from our memory even as it disppears from the heaths. With its complex ecology - (associated with an ant which needs heather of a certain length)- the blue quickly vanishes if the bell heather gets too long. Lack of grazing since 1940 has led to the heaths becoming overgrown.....and the butterfly has all but gone. See it while you can.

Our most endangered Blue Butterfly, The silver studded blue

This tiny member of the blue family is gravely threatened by habitat loss and occurs in tiny numbers on a few heaths in the south of England. The brown female is as delightful as the blue male and both can be seen flying together in June and July when they appear briefly before vanishing again for another year.