Female Brown Hairstreak on Hemp Agrimony I have seen Brown Hairstreak and I never thought I would. This elusive arboreal butterfly mates high in ash trees where it feeds on aphid honeydew.
I may have seen caterpillars and eggs, and not seen them. In early spring, I look for the first flowers of Blackthorn on lichened twigs. In autumn, I go in quest of photographs when sloes are ripe and Blackthorn leaves are rich in colour. Prunus spinosa, Blackthorn of bitter plum. The Brown Hairstreak lays her white eggs on young Blackthorn shoots so chances are I’ve overlooked both eggs and green caterpillars that feed only on Blackthorn.
I may have seen caterpillars and eggs, and not seen them. In early spring, I look for the first flowers of Blackthorn on lichened twigs. In autumn, I go in quest of photographs when sloes are ripe and Blackthorn leaves are rich in colour. Prunus spinosa, Blackthorn of bitter plum. The Brown Hairstreak lays her white eggs on young Blackthorn shoots so chances are I’ve overlooked both eggs and green caterpillars that feed only on Blackthorn.
I never imagined I’d see the Brown Hairstreak and my optometrist could tell you why. I’m looking for butterflies through moth-eaten macula. I’m on a Brown Hairstreak high next morning when I see him for a check-up. A visit to an optometrist has never been so lively. In a moment he has images on-screen, of Brown Hairstreak, its white egg and green caterpillar. He’s in awe, as I am. ‘And they’re out there, where I live. I’ll look,’ he says. And I know he will.
I’d been wondering what my contribution to butterfly conservation might be. Not with loppers or chain-saw, not coppicing. No good at counting with my erratic vision. I can spread the word, so that’s what I do.
I’d been wondering what my contribution to butterfly conservation might be. Not with loppers or chain-saw, not coppicing. No good at counting with my erratic vision. I can spread the word, so that’s what I do.
At Arnside Knott with Butterfly Conservation, we wander by Blackthorn hedges where the butterfly will lay its eggs. Blackthorn spreads by suckering, reaching out over the fell in a thorny tangle to grab you by the ankles like a chevaux-de-frise. Then comes a sunlit expanse of Hemp agrimony and soon the call goes up, ‘here.’ Laura has found one and I hasten slowly through vegetation to see a butterfly nectaring on flowers, proboscis deep down in purple florets. Exquisite colouring, under-wings in shades of gold and a small deep-orange ‘tail’ on the hind-wing, wavering white streaks across the gold. Antennae ringed in black and white and tipped with black. Radiating out from the body, soft smudges of black then fine black veins through gold. As if Leonardo had pencilled the finest tracery, black on gold. In Leonardo, in butterflies, art and science are inter-fused. A glimpse of a beautiful and elusive butterfly, a handful of images and a sunlit glade on the fringe of woodland - a scene imprinted in the mind's eye. Here’s magic and mystery, under-pinned by science.
My quest for better images, to see eggs and caterpillars, goes on. So, my Brown Hairstreak check-list.
Eggs on Blackthorn, October to March
Caterpillar/ larvae - May to July. food-plant, Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa
Chrysalis- July-August
Butterfly flight time, August to September. Flowers the butterfly may come down from high ash to nectar on: Hemp Agrimony, Bramble, Common Fleabane
Markings, this week-end I learn that aberrations can occur when a caterpillar undergoes stress, so marking on the adult can then be irregular.
Eggs on Blackthorn, October to March
Caterpillar/ larvae - May to July. food-plant, Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa
Chrysalis- July-August
Butterfly flight time, August to September. Flowers the butterfly may come down from high ash to nectar on: Hemp Agrimony, Bramble, Common Fleabane
Markings, this week-end I learn that aberrations can occur when a caterpillar undergoes stress, so marking on the adult can then be irregular.
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