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| UK Status |
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| Resident |
A species which is continually Resident in the UK with stable breeding populations. |
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| Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Migrant in the UK. It may be able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Migrants are normally reported in the UK every year. |
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| Rare Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Rare Migrant in the UK. It may able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Rare Migrants may not be seen for many years. |
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| Extinct |
A species which is Extinct in the UK, usually as a result of habitat loss. |
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| Introduction |
A species which ocurs in the UK as an accidental introduction. |
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Description
The larvae of the Holly Blue have two preferred foodplants. In spring the larvae feed on the flower buds and berries of Holly while in late Summer the buds and young berries of Ivy are preferred.
The larvae grown up to 15mm in length and are generally green in colour with a pale yellow line along each side and a small jet black head which is generally unseen spending much of its time deep within a flower bud or berry feeding.
The mature larvae turn red in colour and often show signs of the distinctive pale blue colouration of the butterfly near the head (see photos below). The pupae is mottled with dark brown on a pale tan brown background is is covered in short fine hairs. They are 8mm long and 4mm wide at the widest point. The pupae feeding on Ivy in late Summer do not hatch out until the following spring overwintering deep within Ivy underneath a sheltered leaf.
The adult Holly Blue emerges early in spring well before any other of the blues. Unlike other blues the Holly Blue tends to fly high up around trees and bushes in full sunlight. The males can sometimes be found at ground level taking salts from dried up puddles in summer.
Annual numbers of Holly Blue are effected by the parasitic ichneumon wasp (Listrodomus nycthemerus) which injects its eggs into the larvae of the Holly Blue but only developes at the pupal stage upon which it feeds and subsequently kills. This affects the following years numbers of Holly Blue which in turn effects the wasp population (due to a lack of Holly Blue larvae). This allows the Holly Blue population to recover. As the Holly Blue population recovers, the wasp population increases and the cycle begins again.
Habitat
Gardens public parks disused railway lines hedgerows field margins and woodland rides where both Ivy and Holly (the larval foodplant) can be found. Old Church Yards are a particularly good place to find Holly Blue's, many of which have large numbers of mature Holly and Ivy bushes.
Larval Food Plants
The larva of the Holly Blue feed on the flower buds and berries of Holly (Ilex aquifolium) during the spring. During the late summer and autumn months they feed on the flower buds and berries of Ivy (Hedera helix).
British Subspecies
The following sub-species of the Holly Blue occur in the UK.
 Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus britanna (Verity, 1919) - Occurs throughout the UK.
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| Stock Photography Library |
| We have 12 photographs of the Holly Blue in the British Butterflies photo library |
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BB1348 - Holly Blue
DSC_0993.JPG
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BB1347 - Holly Blue
DSC_0991.JPG
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BB1068 - Holly Blue
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BB1067 - Holly Blue
DSC_8777.JPG
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BB1066 - Holly Blue
DSC_8756.JPG
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BB1014 - Holly Blue
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BB608 - Holly Blue
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BB464 - Holly Blue
DSC_2588.JPG
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| Distribution |
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| The Holly Blue is a common resident in the UK but numbers vary sometime quite dramatically from year to year. It can be found across England and Wales north to the southern Lake District and Newcastle. It generally has two broods with butterflies on the wing in Spring and Early to Midsummer although a partial 3rd brood on the wing in October can occur. |
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| Where to see the Holly Blue |
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| Population Trends |
| species status |
the Holly Blue is a resident species in Britain |
| population trend1 |
(1995-2004)  down by -30% |
(1976-2004)  up by 281% |
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1Fox, R., Asher. J., Brereton. T., Roy, D & Warren, M.
(2006) The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland, Pices, Oxford. |
| UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Status |
| UK BAP status2 |
not listed (link) |
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| 2 For more information about the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species status, visit www.ukbap.org.uk. |
| IUCN Category Status |
| IUCN category3 |
 least concern4 |
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3 Fox, R., Warren, M & Brereton, T.
(2007) New Red List of British Butterflies. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham.
4 More information about IUCN categories available here. |
| Find Out More Online* |
| More information about the Holly Blue can be found on Peter Eeles excellent UK Butterflies web site. |
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Aberrations and Forms |
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| We currently know of 9 named aberrant forms of the Holly Blue. More information about aberrants can be found here. |
 ab. antidisconulla - Lempke (1954) |
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| ab. aquilana - Grund (1908) |
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| ab. clara - Tutt (1896) |
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| ab. lilacina-lata - Tutt (1908) |
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| ab. lilacina-suffusa - Tutt (1908) |
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| ab. minor - Tutt (1908) |
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| ab. obsoleta - Tutt (1908) |
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| ab. paucipuncta - Courvoisier (1912) |
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| ab. punctata - Tutt (1908) |
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| References |
| The information on this web site comes from a variety of freely available resources including books, academic reports and web sites alongside my own personal observations of butterflies. The species descriptions are currently in the process of being edited (spring 2009) to include new data, recent personal observations and referencing following a major update to the site.
A complete list of references mentioned in the text on this web site is available here. |
| * External Links Disclaimer |
| This web site includes links to information provided by external web sites which are not in any way under the control of www.britishbutterflies.co.uk. We cannot, therefore, be held responsible for the content of external web pages. |
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26-34mm
