caterpillars!

Celastrina argiolus (Holly blue)

Sanguisorba officinalis (Great burnet)

Last update: 9 March 2020


Common

LOCATION: Krimpen aan den IJssel, garden

OBSERVATION:
2019-VII-212019-VII-06


From behind the kitchenwindow I saw this female Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) that showed great interest in the Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) plants near the pond. She fluttered among the sphere-like flowers and had landed on a few before it hit me she was laying eggs.

Holly blue ♀︎ (Celastrina argiolus) on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)
Holly blue ♀︎ (Celastrina argiolus), laying egg on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

In the end I was able to localize three eggs, one of which was probably flushed away by a summer rain a few days later.

Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), egg on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

After my adventures with the Long-tailed blue I expected the larvae to dig into the flower butts but to my surprise after fifteen days I found two tiny, fat, flat worm-like larvae, and for sure they were 2nd instar larvae!

Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), 2nd instar on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)
Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), 2nd instar on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)
Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), 2nd instar on Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

Unfortunately they disappeared after some days obscuring their further development from the camera sensor.


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