Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

OTHER NAMES: Common Blue Butterfly

Latin Etymology: Polyommatus ("furnish with eyes") icarus (after the mythical figure)

Adult Common Blue (subspecies P. i. icarus) at The Lizard, Cornwall - June 2001

Featured Subspecies: Polyommatus icarus icarus
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 25-40mm
UK Status: Least Concern / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

As the name suggests, Common Blues are the commonest of the blue butterflies. They are smaller than many of the more familiar butterflies, and, as there are a number of varieties of similarly sized and coloured butterflies. The common blue has notable orange patches on the underside of the wings. Their main food stuff is Bird's Foot Trefoil.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera 
Family: Lycaenidae 
Genus: Polyommatus
SUBSPECIES: P. i. mariscolore, P. i. fuchsi, P. i. omelkoi, P. i. ammosovi, P. i. fugitiva, P. i. napaea, P. i. icarus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen at sites including Geddington and Rainham

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto