Tuesday 26 July 2016

JULY 5 - Silver-studded Blues (Plebejus argus) on Great Orme and Prees Heath. Those on the limestone of the Orme are subspecies caernensis, smaller than the type subspecies and with the females' wings shot with blue on the upperside. Those at Prees Heath are the nominate subspecies (argus) of the heath-land habitat where the females' wings are usually dull brown lacking the blue flushing.


The first group of photos show subsp.caernensis, two males followed, by several females showing varying levels of blue on the wing ups. Also a group resting from the wind in low vegetation and a male and female together.
 










The second group are of subsp argus at Prees Heath. Here the females wings ups are dull brown, occasionally with a slight hint of blue. The first two photos are males, followed by females, then a pair and finally a mating pair











As a postscript, several Graylings were seen on Great Orme; these are the endemic subsp. thyone, smaller and less contrastingly marked on the wings' undersides than in the type





Also, one of several Common Lizards basking at Prees Heath

















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