Macro image of a Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus), on chalk upland, Saxon Shore Way, Kent, UK.

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Macro image of a Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus), on chalk upland, Saxon Shore Way, Kent, UK. The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, widespread over much of the Palaearctic and recently introduced. in eastern Canada. The larva feeds on plants from the family Leguminosae. Recorded foodplants are Lathyrus spp., Vicia spp., Vicia cracca, Oxytropis campestris, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium pratense, Oxytropis pyrenaica, Astragalus aristatus, Astragalus onobrychis, Astragalus pinetorum, Medicago romanica, Medicago falcata, and Trifolium repens. The Common Blue is Britain's (and probably Europe's) most common and most widespread blue, found as far north as Orkney and on most of the Outer Hebrides. Males are often very obvious as they defend territories against rivals and search out the more reclusive females. A range of grassland habitats are used: meadows, coastal dunes, woodland clearings, and also many man-made habitats, anywhere their food plants are found.

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Size: 3341px × 2875px
Location: Saxon Shore Way, Kent, UK.
Photo credit: © John Gaffen 2 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: blue, butterfly, chalk, common, icarus, kent, macro, polyommatus, saxon, shore, uk., upland