With the silver-studded blue being quite common on the heaths of Dorset it is easy to forget that nationally this is a rare species. It is predominantly a heathland specialist and heathland is restricted to mainly central southern England which means the silver-studded blue is a local species. The loss of heathland habitat since the war means the silver-studded blue has declined in numbers overall but where favourable conditions are found it can occur in significant numbers. Single brooded it is seen mainly in July and early August.
We have forty seven reports for 2017 and 2018 combined in the Nature of Dorset tweets database which shows first emergence in week 22 which is mid June and the bulk of records occur in June. There are reports for nine consecutive weeks through until week 31 early in August and peak records come in week 23 and 24 so it seems that the silver-studded blue flies a little earlier than the text books indicate; maybe it depends on the warmth of the summer sun to instigate its emergence?
Including some survey data, the silver-studded blue has been reported on 37 sites and, as one would expect these are predominantly heathland habitats but it is also quite common on the limestone grassland of Portland as well as a couple of sites on the Purbeck coast around Lulworth. There is also a reliable record from as far west as Bridport which is well away from the main heathland further east around the Poole basin.
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