Holly Blue Butterfly
Gormán Cuilinn
| Irish name: | Gormán Cuilinn |
| See it in: | April/May and again from July to September |
| Biodiversity Ireland Species Profile: | Holly Blue Butterfly |
Small, light-blue butterfly with black tips to the wings. Undersides pale blue with black flecks. In late May/June the female lays eggs at the bases of unopened holly flower buds. The larvae eat the buds, flowers, and tender young leaves. The female butterflies that emerge from these larvae lay eggs at the base of ivy flower buds in August/September and the caterpillars eat the buds and flowers. These pupate in October for six months. Holly blues are mostly found in the south and east of Ireland. The adults feed on bramble blossoms and thistle flowers. Photo taken on 27th July 2023 on Castlewarden Rd.
Holly Blue Butterfly, laying eggs on holly
Holly Blue Butterfly laying eggs on holly in May 2024, Photograph by Paddy Madden
Holly Blue Butterfly
Holly Blue Butterfly by Castlewarden Rd., 27th July 2023, by Paddy Madden