The common blue is a small butterfly which can be seen from late winter to early autumn but mostly in early summer.

The lycaenid family is the second-largest butterfly family with about 40 per cent of all butterflies, many of which are threatened with extinction

It is found in most of Europe, parts of Asia, North Africa and in the Canary Islands. It was recently introduced in eastern Canada.

Males and females are different: the male has blue upper wings with a bluish base while the females’ upper wings are brown with a tinge of blue.

The underside of males is grey with some blue at the base while the females’ is browner. Both sexes have a number of diagnostic spots on their underwing.

The common blue is a member of the lycaenid family, which comprises over 5,000 species.

In Malta seven species are found, all of which are small with either bluish or brownish upper parts. The common blue is the commonest species and is known in Maltese as farfett tal-anġlu.

The lycaenid family is the second-largest butterfly family with about 40 per cent of all butterflies, many of which are threatened with extinction. Sometimes these butterflies are known simply as blues.

Another common species is the Lang’s short-tailed blue, known in Maltese as ikħal tad-denb qasir. This species lays its eggs on the plumbago, a beautiful garden plant, and is often seen resting in its flowers.

The holly blue, known in Maltese as ikħal fiddieni, is common in areas where its food-plants, the ivy and bramble, are common. A good place to see this species is in Buskett.

The long-tailed blue (ikħal tad-denb twil) is not common. Most of the time it can be seen flying low above thyme bushes but it visits bean plants to lay eggs.

The larva of the common blue feeds on several species of leguminous plants, especially trefoils and clovers.

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