Jamie Burston

[Maximus]

Nice Small Blue ab, Jamie but it's your reports and images of White-letter Hairstreak eggs that are outstanding

Mike

[Jamie Burston]

Nice Small Blue ab, Jamie but it's your reports and images of White-letter Hairstreak eggs that are outstanding

Mike

Thank you very much Mike, I appreciated the really kind comments you've made!
All the best, Jamie

[Jamie Burston]

White-letter Hairstreak, Eggs resumed:

1 May 2016, Site 3 (new):
''I couldn't resist searching for eggs, these remain on the tree long after the caterpillar emerges. Indeed I did find one hatched White-letter Hairstreak egg, located approximately on the NWbW facing portion of the tree, a very different location on the tree compared to Sites 1 and 2. All elm varieties vary and this tree was behind others, still producing flowers.''

Hatched Egg:

Not only was the egg facing NWbW but the position of where it was laid was different.
Rather than being on the scar of growth it was positioned on the actual bud (scales).
Perhaps due to it being NWbW facing, it was positioned like so on the bud, to benefit the caterpillar,
away from flowers allowing as much warmth and sun to reach it -
(that's if the caterpillars need warmth and sun to kick start the process of emergence).

Tree (unidentified species of elm) still in flower:

My next post on White-letter Hairstreak Eggs will be the last in this series.

[Jamie Burston]

2016: Adult White-letter Hairstreaks, sightings ........

On the 4th July I was contacted by my friend, saying they had a White-letter Hairstreak in their front garden, taking around 6 minutes to get to my friends house I thought I was in with a good chance of seeing it, on my arrival I was shown the individual. Finding a male settled on Ox-eye daisy (photo), no doubt low down to shelter from the strong wind.

On the 5th and 6th July I began surveying for new White-letter Hairstreak colonies, looking around the canopy of various Elms around Hollingbury, Brighton. Across these two days I saw a minimum of 27 White-letter Hairstreaks, across 18 different elm trees, this including Huntingdon, Wheatley and Golden Elm. Of the 18 elm trees I searched 11 of them are new colonies/ tree being used, adding to those I found last year. Reassuringly I saw 3 White-letter Hairstreaks at Hollingbury park, taking position on a smaller Walnut tree (photo) within one of the scalloped bays, their typical hotspot. Observing them was a challenge and they would only reveal their presences when there was a brief letup in the strong breeze.

The strong breeze continued yesterday on the 9th July at Hollingbury Park, proving challenging for seeing White-letter Hairstreaks on my joint lead Sussex BC walk, with Carole Mortimer (former species champion). We saw brief glimpses in the canopy but it was really only when I saw 2 males seemingly irritating each other into flight, as they moved around an Ash tree that I could be certain that we had seen them. Using the most sheltered side of the wood at the edge of a glade, clearly trying to make the most of this horrendous weather, and there is more of it to come.

[Jamie Burston]

Purple Hairstreak in Brighton ......... not good, I just hope the weather is masking a descent emergence, none seen yet!

[Paul Harfield]

The strong breeze continued yesterday on the 9th July at Hollingbury Park, proving challenging for seeing White-letter Hairstreaks on my joint lead Sussex BC walk, with Carole Mortimer (former species champion). We saw brief glimpses in the canopy but it was really only when I saw 2 males seemingly irritating each other into flight, as they moved around an Ash tree that I could be certain that we had seen them. Using the most sheltered side of the wood at the edge of a glade, clearly trying to make the most of this horrendous weather, and there is more of it to come.

Hi Jamie
Like you say this windy, dull weather is highly frustrating when it comes to looking for Hairstreaks in new locations. Even in known locations they are proving to difficult to find. Hopefully things will change soon.
Great news on finding new colonies, well done

[Jamie Burston]

Hi Jamie
Like you say this windy, dull weather is highly frustrating when it comes to looking for Hairstreaks in new locations. Even in known locations they are proving to difficult to find. Hopefully things will change soon.
Great news on finding new colonies, well done

Hi Paul,
There is meant to be some reasonably good weather mixed into the next seven days, hopefully it remains true. I hope you get to see White-letter Hairstreaks at your locations soon Thank you very much! It was hard but perseverance payed off, or should I say when the wind died off!
All the best,
Jamie

[Jamie Burston]

12 July 2016:

Copied directly from my report sent into Sussex BC sightings page:

''I thought it would be hard to beat my observations of White-letter Hairstreak this year, especially due to the weather. I was most certainly wrong!!! Around midday I was up by my favourite residential elm tree, here in Hollingbury, a return visit with the aim of seeing males dog fighting in the canopy, in the morning I counted four together in flight. On this visit during a lull in activity I saw a dead leaf floating slowly down from the canopy, only by the time it reached half way did I realise it was something remarkable! This ''dead leaf'' drifted into the middle of the road where it settled. Right before me I was looking at a mating pair of White-letter Hairstreaks, in the middle of the road! Male left, female right, look at the size of her abdomen! After taking a few very risky photos, myself sat in the road, I gently moved the couple to a far better place, the shelter of a low growing branch, here they stayed until separation. I will include further information and photos in an article/ piece I'll write for the website after their flight period. I'm one very happy chap, my poor parents having to put up with the madness of my excitement once I got home.''

[Goldie M]

That's a fantastic photo Jamie, I wish I could see some around here, Goldie

[Jamie Burston]

That's a fantastic photo Jamie, I wish I could see some around here, Goldie

Thank you very much Goldie! I hope you get to see them soon. Depending on how prolonged their flight period is here in Brighton, I would be happy to help you see them when you visit again in August.

[Goldie M]

Fantastic Jamie, I'll take you up on that if we get to Brighton, hope fully we will Goldie

[Jamie Burston]

14 July 2016: On a 6-8pm visit to the dew pond of Wild Park, Brighton I was finally treated to my first views of Purple Hairstreak, the most I saw at once was three individuals, often seen dog fighting and basking with the vast majority of activity on the surrounding Ash trees. My photos show one of the male Purple Hairstreaks basking in the Oak canopy, whilst the other shows the beautiful master Oak which they call home. This colony is performing well below that of other Sussex sites.

[Jamie Burston]

16 July 2016: Hollingbury Park

I watched a will I, won't I female White-letter Hairstreak, appearing to lay eggs, though I couldn't located any afterwards.

Egg laying attempt by female White-letter Hairstreak.

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Jamie
Really interesting posts on the White Letter Hairstreak. I love the 'dead leaf falling' story Keep up the good work.

[Jamie Burston]

Hi Jamie
Really interesting posts on the White Letter Hairstreak. I love the 'dead leaf falling' story Keep up the good work.

Thank you very much Paul!

[Jamie Burston]

22 July 2016:

Copied directly from my report sent into Sussex BC sightings page:

''On a later visit to Hollingbury Park between 5 and 6pm I saw at least 8 different individual White-letter Hairstreaks down feeding on Creeping Thistle and Bramble, seen between the playing area at the bottom of the park up to the reservoir near the top of the park. All at various stages of wear, the males are worn out, quite understandably, I saw one female which looked in good condition aswell. It really seems later is better, something I've only just learnt for myself after my friends had similar success. This weekend looks like a good time to see them before the season passes by. If you visit please post your photos of White-letter Hairstreak to the sightings page or email me at: jamieburstonart@outlook.com
I'm comparing all White-letter Hairstreaks photographed at Hollingbury Park to build an idea of their population, my findings will be shared in my upcoming Species Champion report.''

Below picture four different individuals from my visit:

Goldie, my offer still stands! When you know your down to Brighton and free to meet up I'll help you to the best of my ability to see White-letter Hairstreak. Feel free to contact me on the email address included above, that way we can exchange numbers if needed nearer the time.

All the best,
Jamie

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Jamie - I just wanted to congratulate you on some amazing footage that you've posted, and have discovered your YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5RDL ... V8ILKT0pEw

The Brown Argus and Brown Hairstreak footage is, really, quite enlightening! Great job!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Jamie Burston]

Hi Jamie - I just wanted to congratulate you on some amazing footage that you've posted, and have discovered your YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5RDL ... V8ILKT0pEw

The Brown Argus and Brown Hairstreak footage is, really, quite enlightening! Great job!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete, Thank you very much! That's great. Thank you for the amazing compliment, sometimes I find film really is the only adequate approach to capture and understand behaviour! Luckily with Youtube you can even slow down the action to see what's really going on (very helpful in fast action e.g. Hairstreaks flying in canopy).

[Pete Eeles]

... sometimes I find film really is the only adequate approach to capture and understand behaviour!

I couldn't agree more!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Yes. Highly illuminating stuff, Jamie. You are to be commended for this.