Silver-studded Blue Butterflies (Plebejus argus)
Here at Kelling Heath we have a rare butterfly – the Silver-studded Blue. It has declined throughout Britain becoming extinct in northern, central and southeast regions. The main reason for this decline is the loss of suitable heathland on which they depend, in the last century much Heathland has been planted for forestry, ploughed for agriculture or left unmanaged.
Silver-studded Blues became extinct on Kelling Heath by the 1970’s mainly due to a lack of management. Following a study of heathlands in Norfolk, by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and English Nature, Kelling Heath was found to be a suitable place to reintroduce the butterfly, if appropriate management was carried out.
In 2001 several adult butterflies were translocated from another site in Norfolk to two release sites on Kelling Heath. Since then the butterflies have been increasing in number and have spread into new areas. Management is carried out each year to improve the area for the butterflies and other heathland wildlife.
The Lifecycle
Adult: Flying between late June and August. They feed on nectar of heather.They are poor flyers so tall vegetation is an obstruction to their dispersal. They rarely fly more than a few metres from where they emerged.
Egg: Eggs are laid singly on heather in summer.
Caterpillar: The caterpillars hatch out in March. They feed on young heather and gorse shoots. Silver-studded Blue caterpillars have a very special relationship with a species of black ant. The caterpillars secrete a sweet substance from glands on their bodies. This substance is attractive to ants, and they feed on it. It is thought that the ants help protect the caterpillar from parasitic wasps. The caterpillars reach full size in about 3 months
Chrysalis: The chrysalis develops underground in ant nests. The adult butterfly emerges after two to three weeks in late June.
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