Brown Argus or Common Blue. (1 Viewer)

[coaltit]

I photographed this Butterflie about mid day on thursday August 11th on my front lawn I was cutting it at the time and it settled a number of times on the grass and I was able to see the wings of this butterflie wide open at times and from this I was sure in my mind it was a male Brown Argus and not a female common Blue but unfortunately I was unable to capture any photographs of when the wings were open but just the one photograph of when the wings were closed but from this photograph and seeing similar ones I`m made to believe it's now a female common blue, The strange thing is I never saw any blue on the top of the wings whatsoever (but pure brown like brown Argus) which I always do when seeing common blue female Butterflies, but the hallmarks all seem to lead a female common blue which has quite surprised me.. Please could someone confirm which Butterflie it is please.

 

[Waxwings]

I agree it seems to be Common Blue. Brown Argus shouldn't have the spot I've marked with the red arrow, and the two spots with blue arrows should be closer together (more like a figure of eight).

 

[coaltit]

Hi Waxwings

Yes those features you mention highlight common blue very well but having seen the upper wings first being such a uniform brown all over apart from the orange spots, and not even a trace of blue at the base of the wings as you can see in this photo it is somewhat of a mystery to me, but thank you for your reply.

 

[aeshna5]

Hi Waxwings

Yes those features you mention highlight common blue very well but having seen the upper wings first being such a uniform brown all over apart from the orange spots, and not even a trace of blue at the base of the wings as you can see in this photo it is somewhat of a mystery to me, but thank you for your reply.

That's because it's a female Common Blue. They don't always have the bluish base.

 

[dantheman]

In the photo I can see a pale blue in the fringing of the wings, most noticeably at the top. Is this a real feature? (And not the colour balance?) I don't see similar in the white spot borders etc.

 

[coaltit]

That's because it's a female Common Blue. They don't always have the bluish base.

Hi Aeshna, Yes I agree it is a female common blue, but the upper wings unless you saw them yourself you would struggle to say it was a female common blue and I could`t and I was up and close to this Butterflie a few times to know that I have seen many female common blues outdoors and Illustrated but none like this one it was a nice looking Butterflie no wear or anything on the wings.

 

[coaltit]

In the photo I can see a pale blue in the fringing of the wings, most noticeably at the top. Is this a real feature? (And not the colour balance?) I don't see similar in the white spot borders etc.

Hi, dantheman,

It has to be a colour balance, I got up and close to this Butterflie more than once when it opened its wings and I have seen many female common blues for comparison in the past I just wished I could have photographed the upper wings and showed them here I was lucky to get this picture for a proper Identification.