Denmark's rarest butterfly

In everyday speech the Large Blue has earned the title of our rarest butterfly. What this means is that, among the species currently breeding in Denmark, it is the butterfly at greatest risk of extinction.

It was once known from around 40 sites, but over time - like other species - it has come under pressure through loss of habitat and food sources. It can only survive in dry, warm places such as unimproved grassland and dune heath where the host plants Thyme and/or Wild Marjoram grow, together with the ant species Myrmica sabuleti, on which the caterpillar feeds in its last larval stages.

A small, fragile population now survives only at Høvblege on Møn. The latest news is that this population now seems to be spreading.

More photos

Seen on Thyme at Høvblege in July

Seen on thyme at Høvblege in July

Høvblege grassland, which is owned by the state, is a chalky ridge south of Klinteskoven. The land is unsuitable for cultivation because of the chalk, which lies right up at the surface, so it has been left as grazing land for over 100 years. Besides the rare Large Blue and Transparent Burnet, several species of orchid, among other things, are found here.