Adonis Blue Butterfly on Ballard Down - Wildlife Photo

This photograph of an Adonis Blue butterfly was taken on Ballard Down, near Corfe Castle and Swanage in Dorset, along the famous Jurassic Coast. The butterfly is perched delicately on a wildflower, its vibrant blue wings glinting in the sunlight.

Walking the ridge that day, I saw dozens of these bright blue butterflies dancing through the warm air above the chalk grassland. Their striking colour contrasts beautifully with the soft greens and purples of the wildflowers that cover Ballard Down in summer.

The Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) is one of Britain’s most stunning butterflies and thrives in these coastal downland habitats. Capturing one resting momentarily on a flower offered a rare opportunity to photograph its vivid detail up close before it lifted away on the breeze.

This photo celebrates the fragile beauty of Dorset’s wildlife and landscapes, blending rich natural tones with the gentle textures of the countryside overlooking Swanage Bay — a perfect setting for wildlife photography on the South Coast.