A Large Blue butterfly at Daneway Banks

It was rather overcast this morning and the forecast was for rain before too long.  I suggested to Helena that instead of visiting some more Open Studios/gardens in Rodborough that we go for a walk at Daneway Banks near Sapperton. I had heard that the very rare and somewhat endangered Large Blue butterfly had been appearing there again this year at this wonderful nature reserve. It had become extinct but had been  re-introduced quite recently using some of the same species found in Sweden. I don't know much about insects and their life-cycles but apparently the eggs are laid in nests of a specific type of ant, which forms ant hills.  Their eggs are similar to the ant's eggs and so the ants care for the Large Blue's eggs without realising they are interlopers, like cuckoo's eggs.  Possibly there is an advantage for the ants as well, but I haven't found out about that yet.

When we arrived we saw a few other visitors to the extensive site which is absolutely full of wild flowers, grasses and some old woodland.  It seems to have been untouched by human endeavour for ages so that the complex mixture of vegetation has been able to develop without interference or any chemicals being applied as part of farming practices.

I spoke to a couple with serious cameras and who I'd correctly identified as keen naturalists, also keen to spot the Large Blue again in their case. They gave me some information and lead me up the path towards a dew pond that the wildlife trust has built at the top of the hill.  I didn't spot any Blues and just took a few snaps of more common butterflies which were flitting about. I gathered that there wasn't much activity because of the lack of sunlight and decided that I would come back another time.

Helena had decided to sit on a wooden bench to read a book and enjoy the stillness of the place.  When I got back to her I decided to have a quick look for some more butterflies as she was happy to continue reading. I saw several of the other visitors who I had briefly chatted earlier had congregated in a particular spot a little further up the Bank. (I have added an 'Extra Photo' of them showing you the location) I went towards them but then became sidelined by filming some fungi growing out of the grass, until one of the group passed me by and said that there was a large blue quite close by.  He led me to a small clump of herbs and pointed to the surprisingly small blue butterfly which nevertheless looked absolutely beautiful.

I hadn't got my macro lens which I had left in my bag with Helena so I walked back to pick it up.  When I returned the blue had flown away but Helena who had decided to come to see it suddenly spotted another one nearby.  We quickly grabbed a lot of shots as that it didn't seem concerned by our close presence, unlike most butterflies which flit away at one's first approach.

I have just found this excellent web site which gives extensive information about the Large Blue, including details about its life cycle.

So here is this little Large Blue looking fabulous.  It is only a little more than an inch long but it was hard to get a suitable angle from which I could get the whole of its body sharp, so this is the best compromise I could achieve. I don't think they will be around for long, so I must return soon as I'd love to film it in flight, with its wings extended. That will be a challenge.