The Long tailed Blues of 2013

There was unfortunately no repeat of the 2013 invasion of this stunning little butterfly but a few articles have been written this year with one I believe in Atropos magazine which i'm told has a photo of mine in it of the Long tailed Blue. I was very lucky to drive down to Kingsdown Leas at Dover last year and saw the first few individuals and managed along with a few other enthusiasts, take a number of shots of them. Better was to come when they were seen egg laying and a month or so later and with plenty of eyes looking and hoping for this momentous occasion, the first British born wild Long tailed Blues appeared. I spent an afternoon down there with a good number of people seeing these fresh individuals and again was lucky to capture a number of photos. With a good showing of the food plant, Everlasting Pea in the Reculver area, I spent a session with a few friends looking for them and was we lucky or what for we found a few fresh individuals. As word got out, many enthusiasts started arriving in the next few days and a good number were seen. This was most definitely one butterfly that I never thought I would have the chance of seeing on British soil but am very thankful for the opportunity to do so. Will they return in the next few years, I suppose we will just have to wait and see but it would be nice to think so.

Long tailed Blue