Silver-studded dazzler!

Silver-studded blue at Yateley Common (credit: Paul Bamford)

With the weather warming up (hopefully), now is a great time to be on the look out for the dazzling silver-studded blue butterfly! The males are a vibrant blue, with females a more subtle brown. But the clue to watch out for are the silver flecks (studs) on the underside of the wing.

This butterfly has an amazing life cycle, tricking ants into carrying the larvae into their nests, where the ants tend to them until they emerge as adult butterflies!

Sadly the silver-studded blue has undergone a major decline over the past few decades, another reason why the protection of the Thames Basin Heaths is so important.

Warden Jamie

Silver-studded blue at Yateley Common (credit: Paul Bamford)