- Family: Lycaenidae
- Scientific name: Celastrina argiolus (Linnaeus 1758)
- English common name: Holly Blue
- Spanish common name: Nájade
- Portuguese common name: Azul Celeste
Holly Blue – Celastrina argiolus – Nájade butterflies have a distinctive silvery blue under wing with very fine black spots and dashes. They fly very early in the year if it is warm and are likely to be seen around trees and bushes as they feed on honeydew. The upper wings are blue, the male has a fine black border and the female a broader black band. The caterpillars of this species grow up to 1cm long, they are green with cream or pink markings.
- Wing size: 26-34mm
- Altitude: Sea level to 1900m
- Flight time: February-October in several broods
- Over-wintering: Chrysalis
- Caterpillar food plant: Hedera, Ilex, Cornus, Rhamnus, Calluna vulgaris, Rubus sp.
- Distribution: Most of Europe and north Africa
Similar species: Osiris Blue (Cupido Osiris) which is more blue on the under side with black spots, rather than lines.
Butterflies of Iberia. These are included in the list of butterflies in Andalusia. Images taken in Andalucia, Southern Spain.
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I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.
Through Wildside Holidays, I share practical information about Spain’s natural parks, mountains, wildlife and walking destinations, drawing on many years of living and travelling in the country. The aim is to help visitors discover Spain’s natural landscapes responsibly and plan rewarding walking and wildlife experiences.