Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus

Polyommatus icarus
Beckley Woods, Photo: Stuart Cooper

Recorded sightings in 2009: 1343

Recorded sightings in 2010: 1233

Status in Rother: Resident and sometimes common where Bird's-foot-trefoil grows in sunny, sheltered conditions.

Habitat: It occurs in a range of grassy places where Bird's-foot-trefoil grows in sunny, sheltered situations including coastal dunes and undercliffs, road verges, grassland, and woodland clearings. It is also found in waste ground, disused pits and quarries, golf courses, and urban habitats such as cemeteries.

ID Tips: Common Blues usually stay close to the ground vegetation. The upperwing of the male completely blue. The female is more brown and the orange dots (lunules) on the upperwing are often poorly defined.

First sighting in Rother (2009): 5 May
Recorded by: Kelly Payne

First sighting in Rother (2010): 17 May
Recorded by: Kelly Payne

UK Distribution trend: -15%

Ten year UK Population trend (1995-2004): -21%

Long term UK population trend: 9%

Distribution map