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Silver-studded Blue - Photograph by NBN Map - Silver-studded BlueMap courtesy of National Biodiversity Network (NBN)View full NBN Gateway profile

Silver-studded Blue (Female)

A rare butterfly confined to small colonies in England and Wales. Female brown with row of red spots. Male blue with dark border. Undersides brown-grey with black spots, a row of orange spots, and small greenish "studs" on outer margin. Males similar to Common Blue, which lacks greenish spots.

Resident

Range declining.

Silver Studded Blue by Peter EelesThis small butterfly is found mainly in heathland where the silvery-blue wings of the males provide a marvellous sight as they fly low over the heather. The females are brown and far less conspicuous but, like the male, have distinct metallic spots on the hindwing. In late afternoon the adults often congregate to roost on sheltered bushes or grass tussocks.

The Silver-studded Blue has a restricted distribution but occurs in large numbers in suitable heathland and coastal habitats. It has undergone a major decline through most of its range.


Conservation status

  • UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Priority Species
  • Butterfly Conservation priority: high
  • European threat status: not threatened
  • Protected in Great Britain for sale only


European/world range

Widespread across temperate Europe and Asia to Japan. Its range appears to be stable in much of Europe but declines have been recorded in some central and west European countries, and expansions in parts of south-east Europe and Russia.


Foodplants

A wide variety of ericaceous and leguminous plants are used: on heathland the most common are Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea), Cross-leaved Heath (E. tetralix), gorses (Ulex spp.); and on calcareous sites mainly Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), and Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa).


Habitat

Three main habitats are used: lowland heathland (the most widely used); calcareous grasslands (in north Wales, Pembrokeshire, and the Isle of Portland in Dorset); and sand dunes (for example in Cornwall). It occasionally occurs in other habitats such as bogs.

In all habitats the butterfly requires short or sparse vegetation, such as recently burnt heathland, or where there are thin, eroding soils (for example old quarries and coasts). In the south of England it is less demanding and is often associated with shorter areas of wet heath dominated by Cross-leaved Heath.