Open Wings

This large and beautiful blue has always been one of our rarest butterflies.

This is the shot that is the most difficult to get and the one that everyone wants as the Large Blue only opens it's wings in weak sunlight which is a rare occurrence - trust me.

It lives on wild thyme on unfertilised usually south facing sheltered grassland. The egg is laid on the thyme floret then is carried into a Red Ant nest for 10 months and feeds on grubs. There is only an approximate 4 week window to get the adult in flight and in only 6 regions in central and south-west England where it's ecology has been understood, with some blues being introduced from Sweden. It was extinct in 1979, the last colony being on Dartmoor in Devon and a huge successful conservation effort began. 

Fabulous and privilege to see!