Our smallest resident butterfly is easily overlooked, partly because of its size and dusky colouring, but partly because it is often confined to small patches of sheltered grassland where its sole foodplant, Kidney Vetch, is found.
Males set up territories in sheltered positions, perching on tall grass or scrub. Once mated, the females disperse to lay eggs but both sexes may be found from late afternoon onwards in communal roosts, facing head down in long grass. The butterfly tends to live in small colonies and is declining in most areas. Found throughout Britain and Ireland but rare and localised.
Size and Family
- Family: Blues
- Size: Small
- Wing Span Range (male to female): 20-30mm
Conservation Status
- Butterfly Conservation priority: Medium
- Section 41 species of principal importance under the NERC Act in England
- Listed on Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016
- Northern Ireland Priority Species
- GB Red List (2022): Near Threatened
- Protected under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (for sale only)
- Fully protected under the 1985 Northern Ireland Wildlife Order
- European Status: Not threatened
Caterpillar Foodplant
The sole foodplant is Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria). The larvae live only in the flower heads where they feed on developing anthers and seed.
Lifecycle
Habitat
Rare but found on sheltered, warm grassland habitats which have Kidney Vetch. Habitats include; chalk and limestone grassland, coastal grasslands and dunes and man-made habitats such as; quarries, gravel pits, road embankments and disused railways.
Distribution
- Countries: England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales
- Mainly South-central England but can be found along some eastern Scottish coasts, the south coast of Wales and both the east and west coast of Ireland.
- Abundance trend: 5% (1978-2019)
- Distribution trend: -43% (1983-2019)
Factsheets
-
Small Blue Priority Species Factsheet
pdf 2.42 MB -
Bare Ground for Butterflies and Moths
pdf 10.27 MB
Andrew Cooper
Small Blue (upperwing)
Andrew Cooper
Small Blue (upperwing) - Iain Leach
Small Blue (upperwing)
Iain Leach
Small Blue (male/upperwing) - Bob Eade
Small Blue (male/upperwing)
Bob Eade
Small Blue (upperwing) - Peter Withers
Small Blue (upperwing)
Peter Withers
Small Blue (underwing) - Tamás Nestor
Small Blue (underwing)
Tamás Nestor
Small Blue - Heath McDonald
Small Blue (underwing)
Small Blue - Heath McDonald
Gillian Thompson
Small Blue (underwing)
Gillian Thompson
Gillian Thompson
Small Blue (male & female) - Gillian Thompson
Gillian Thompson
Small Blue (egg) - Peter Eeles
Small Blue (egg)
Peter Eeles