Common Blue Butterfly Second Brood

Second brood male (top) and female Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus), mating

In June, I reported on the first brood of the Common Blue butterfly (Polycommatus icarus) in Ireland, with an example of a mating pair. As was reported then, P. icarus has a second brood in August/September (1) and the butterfly can now be seen throughout the Irish coast, but also inland where its food plant, Common Bird's Foot Trefoil grows. The mating pair pictured were seen at some coastal dunes on the south coast. At least 6 other individuals were also seen in the vicinity.

Second brood male Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)

References:

1. Nash et al., 2012. Ireland's Butterflies A Review pp. 156-158