Silver-studded Blue - a photo on Flickriver

I posted a male Silver-studded Blue recently and today it was in Explore. I'm not expecting as much attention for this duller female, but it is the first time I have managed a photograph of a female with wings open.

I remember my first encounter with Silver-studded Blues was in my early teens while visiting my Uncle in Surrey. He lived right next door to Whitmoor Common and I wandered onto the heathland there and saw thousands. But I had to consult my Observer's Book of Butterflies to work out which species it was. I identified them as Silver-studded Blues, but I wrongly thought the females were Brown Argus as I could not see any trace of blue on them. Female Silver-studded Blues from the northern populations tend to show more blue on the upperwings than ones from the south. The silver studs that give rise to the name, are inside the black spots around the edge of the underwing hindwing, and are present in both sexes. Here they are on a male I took some years ago: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/5824137718/in/photolist

The Silver-studded Blue has the scientific name Plebejus argus. Plebejus were basically the Plebs or common folk, as this was Linnaeus's "dumping ground" for all the small butterflies like blues and skippers. These were lower than the grand Swallowtails, Emperors and Admirals. And so to the name argus. In Greek mythology Zeus was in love with Io, so to indulge himself without arousing his wife Hera's suspicion, he turned her into a Heifer. Hera found out and placed her under the care of Argus, who had a hundred eyes. Zeus enlisted the help of Hermes who lulled Argus to sleep with his flute and then cut off Argus's head. Hera consoled herself by setting Argus's eyes into the tail of the peacock. So any butterfly that has numerous eyespots often has the name Argus, and elsewhere in the animal kingdom (eg Great Argus Pheasant).

Taken on: July 2, 2021

Tags:

Plebejus

argus

Blue

butterfly

female

Yorkshire

Tim Melling « less

Sets appears in: • British Butterflies

Stats: 9,219 views / 37 comments

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