The Butterflies of the British IslesSouth, Richard
Science
The Butterflies of the British Isles
South, Richard
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Butterflies -- Great Britain -- Identification; Lepidoptera -- Great Britain
The Common Blue, as well as the Chalk Hill and the Adonis Blues, are to
be found, often commonly and sometimes in large numbers, in their
favourite haunts. Each of them is subject to a considerable range of
variation on the under side, and this seems to be of a similar character
in all. Very striking aberrations are, perhaps, not often obtained, but
still many modifications are to be found, and the possibility of a
really good thing turning up, induces one to give attention to the
business of overhauling these butterflies. A very good method of
conducting this kind of work is to first ascertain the places where they
chiefly congregate, and then to visit there on dull days or late in the
afternoon, when the butterflies are asleep or, at all events, resting.
They can then be easily examined as they sit on the long grass stems,
etc. (Plate 27), but only the under sides can be viewed in this way. So
to avoid passing over a good upper-side variety, it will be needful to
take each specimen between the finger and thumb of the right hand,
seizing the closed wings gently, but firmly, near their base, and then
quickly secure the thorax from underneath with thumb and index finger of
the left hand, when the upper as well as the under side becomes
available for inspection. There is no reason whatever to damage the
insects in any way, and those that are not required may be set free
again none the worse for their short detention. Work against the wind,
and to avoid a second interview, turn rejected specimens to the rear.
[Illustration: _Pl._ 108.
=Chalkhill Blue.=
_Egg enlarged; caterpillar and chrysalis._]
[Illustration: _Pl._ 109.
=Chalkhill Blue.=
1, 2, 8, 10 _male_; 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 _female_.]
The Chalk Hill Blue (_Lycæna corydon_).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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