The Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) is a small butterfly widespread over much of the palaearctic. Recently it was discovered in Mirabel (off-island northern suburb of Montréal) Canada by amateur entomologist Ara Sarafian.
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It's filth, I tell you! The male passes sperm packets to the female, which she stores in her ovipositor to fertilize her eggs.
© Andy Seely (source)
© Arthur Sevestre (source)
© Bob Gibbon (source)
© Gary Stanley (source)
© maryimackins (source)
While the male has bright blue uppersides, the female is primarily brown, with a highly variable amount of blue.
It's filth, I tell you! The male passes sperm packets to the female, which she stores in her ovipositor to fertilize her eggs.
Zoom-in.
Polyommatus icarus egg © Gilles San Martin (source)
Blue butterflies with a woodblock © Paula Kuitenbrouwer (source)
The female in the middle on the woodblock has just laid her eggs. The slug-like caterpillar of the Blues is already looking for food and crawls over the block.
The female in the middle on the woodblock has just laid her eggs. The slug-like caterpillar of the Blues is already looking for food and crawls over the block.
