A new species for our 2019 butterfly list: a common blue (Polyommatus icarus) identified and photographed on the next page by Ian Bushell.
Common blues lay their eggs on Leguminosae and their preference is for birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus ). At the end of the summer, the park’s tenant farmer is going to drill flower seed into Lambrok Meadow and Kestrel Field for us; birdsfoot trefoil will be in the seed mix to encourage more common blues into the park.
Conservation status in Europe: not threatened; population – local declines.
Header and footer pictures [CC0]
More butterflies:
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 