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Friday 19 August 2016

What Argus ?

Just a few days ago I was walking around the Heathland which forms part of the Woodland area that I regularly walk at this time of year in search of butterflies.

It was a bright sunny day and I was finding quite a few of the normal species that I would expect to find at this time. I was shooting a few images of a Small Tortoiseshell on a flower and my 'Spotter' (thats the Lady Wife) said that there was a different one very close by. I looked at it through the lens and just thought at the time it was a Brown Argus (Aricia agestis). 
As it was in such good condition I decided to take a few shots of it.

Later when examining the images on my Mac, my attention was drawn to the white spots with black spots in the centre on each outer wing. Looking at the books I have on the subject I began to think this was a Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes). However, the map locations of known territory, mainly Scotland and the Northern regions of England just didn't relate.

I contacted the County Recorder and was advised that it was indeed a Brown Argus (Aricia agestis),  but of the known aberration snelleni. It has been recorded before at the location, but not often and rarely elsewhere in Eastern England.







17 comments:

  1. Well spotted by your 'spotter'. Great to be able to record a rarer variation.

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    1. Thanks John. Yes, she don't miss much.{:))

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  2. Nice find, I hope the 'spotter' gets an extra bonus for this one?
    I have seen some Brown Argus locally (not this year though) with the same white markings, although less pronounced than those on your specimen...it never occurred to me that they might be something 'different'...I'll have to look closer next time!
    Great shots, btw. ...[;o)

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    1. Thanks Trevor. There is a quite a few variations from what I can see from research.

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  3. Eyes like a gannet! The only argus I've seen this year, is the Brighton and Hove one, and that was online

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  4. My partner, Malcolm, is my 'spotter', he is very good at spotting things, even very tiny things, my head seem to be in the clouds and I miss them ;-) Good find, well done to your 'spotter'

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    1. Thanks Lyn and I thought you were a Multi Tasker.?. {:))

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  5. What a great find Roy and you captured it beautifully. Thank your spotter for me too okay? :)

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    1. Thanks Denise. I will pass on the message.{:))

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  6. Beautiful pictures of the brown argus.
    Also good that you have examined whether it was a real blues brown.

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  7. Muchas gracias por tu visita, Roy. Enhorabuena por ese interesante blog. En Asturias (Norte de España), vuela la Aricia cramera, Aricia montensis y la rara Aricia morronensis. Espero poder compartir contigo muchas especies. Un cordial saludo.

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    1. Muchas gracias por su visita y comenta Belén

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  8. Well done to your lady wife! It's a very attractive butterfly and it must feel good to have spotted a rarity for your area.

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    1. Thanks D.
      Yes Eagle eyes strikes again.{:))

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