22 BUTTERFLIES 



PLATE XI 

 THE LITTLE BLUE (2) 



This is a very tiny insect indeed. In fact, it 

 is by far the smallest of all our British butterflies, 

 and you might easily pass it by, over and over 

 again, without noticing it, for it is not at all 

 brightly coloured. The female is dark brown 

 above, without any orange spots on the hind 

 wings, and even the male has only a faint tinge 

 of blue in the middle of his wings. Underneath, 

 both male and female are plain greyish-drab, with 

 rows of tiny black spots enclosed in whitish rings. 

 So you will have to look for it very carefully 

 indeed if you want to see it. It is double-brooded— 

 that is, it makes its appearance twice in the 

 year, first in May, and then again in August. 

 And you may see it flying about in meadows 

 and on heaths, more especially in chalky or lime- 

 stone districts. 



The caterpillar of this odd little butterfly, like 

 that of the chalk-hill blue, is shaped like a 

 tiny woodlouse, and is green in colour, with 

 an orange stripe running along its back, and 

 another on each side. It feeds upon kidney- 

 vetch, or "woundwort," as it is sometimes 

 called, and turns into a little yellow chrysalis, 

 marked with three rows of black spots. 



This butterfly is sometimes known as the Bed- 

 ford Blue. 



