61.012 .... B&F 1580
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus (Linnaeus, 1758) 
Status .....Common, often in urban situations. Populations suffer from extreme parasitism every few years, rendering it a common species some years and almost totally absent in others. The Holly Blue established itself in the county sometime during the 1900's, but the lack of available information means it has been difficult to trace a first date for VC56 Nottinghamshire. A 1989 record from Clumber Park may be one of the county's earliest.
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Female, photographed at Market Warsop August 2023
 
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Early stages                                 
Ovae/eggs on Holly Ilex aquifolium. Photographed at Clipstone Old Quarter May 2023.
 
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Newly hatched larva (1mm) on Holly Ilex aquifolium. Photographed at Clipstone Old Quarter May 2023.
 
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2nd-instar larva (2.75mm) on Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. Photographed at Market Warsop May 2023.
 
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3rd-instar larva (5mm) on Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. Photographed at Market Warsop June 2023.
 
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Final-instar larva on Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. Photographed at Market Warsop June 2023.
 
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Final-instar larva (pink form) on Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. Photographed at Market Warsop June 2023.
 
 
Nottinghamshire (VC56) distribution of Holly Blue 
 
 
 
 
The records for the Nottinghamshire distribution map are currently provided by the following contributors - Richard Rogers. Trevor and Dilys Pendleton. Meg Skinner. Netherfield Wildlife Group. Pauline Bradford. Wil Heeney. Nottingham City Council. Darren Matthews. Duncan Lyon. Stuart Warrington. The National Trust (Clumber Park invertebrate records). Allan and Annette Binding (Clumber Park invertebrate records). Lound Moth Group. NBGRC. Peter Acton. Damian Taylor. Barry Lygo. Graham Birkett. Tom Shields. Brian Wetton. Nick and Samantha Brownley. 

You can contribute your own records to help us gain an accurate status of this species in Nottinghamshire. Send an Excel spreadsheet of your records via the 'contact us' link at the top of the homepage.

Updated January 2024
copyright © Trevor and Dilys Pendleton (www.eakringbirds.com) . .
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