Sky flake

A brilliantly sunny day here in Pembs. and I was able to walk on the coast path without a jacket, the dog jumping up at bumble bees and the occasional small tortoiseshell butterfly. But all of a sudden I stopped short at the sight of a this blue butterfly. It kindly alighted on an ivy leaf for me to take its picture. 

There are four species of blue butterfly in the UK and at first I thought it was a Small Blue which is uncommon and not normally on the wing until May. But now I realise it must be a Holly Blue which  emerges from pupation  earlier in the spring.  I can see the sooty edge of the upper wing which indicates this one is a female. She will lay her eggs on the ivy which is the food plant of the summer caterpillars, holly serving for the spring generation.

Robert Frost, born 145 years ago come Wednesday, was enchanted by these little beauties too.

It is blue-butterfly day here in spring,
And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry
There is more unmixed color on the wing
Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.

But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire.