Typical male, Switzerland, June 2005
Typical female, Switzerland, June 2005
Mating pair, Switzerland, June 2005
Male underside, June 2005, Switzerland
Female underside, June 2005, Switzerland
Male, Suffolk, UK, 1984
Female, Suffolk, UK, 1984
The silver-studded blue is widespread in Europe and often common, though in England it is restricted to heathland in the south and west. It is one of three species that have silver studs on the underside hindwing - the others being the idas blue and Reverdin's blue. Reverdin's is rather rarer but idas is also widespread and it is not always easy to tell these species apart. Generally, however, the male silver-studded blue has broader dark borders on the uppersides than the others, setting off the pure white fringes in a very characteristic way.