White-letter Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2020

[Wurzel]

White-letter Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2020

Week 19

So the Weather forecasts for this weekend seemed to suggest that the 2021 season would be kicking off but as the week rolled on those forecasts became steadily worse for most of us in the West! Oh well at least there are a couple of weeks left of the ‘Favourites’ – in fact this is the penultimate week so make sure that you’ve got your Overall Favourite ready!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.


Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[Padfield]

I spent a lot of time on w-album in 2020, so have a lot of photos to choose from. But I think this is my favourite:



If you can't see the white-letter hairstreak, that's why it's my favourite!

It was taken on 25th April in my local meadow, where there are a few Siberian elms.

Guy

[Stevieb]

A new species for me after searching, in vain, for the last couple of years since switching from birding to butterflies.
The 'go to' place near me used to be Green Lane Wood, Wiltshire, where Elms in the car park used to hold a few annually.

The Elms gradually died off from disease and it appeared that the hairstreaks had disappeared with no records at Green Lane over the past couple of years. This year the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, who own the wood, removed all the dead Elms from the car park so I figured there would be no hope of seeing any White Letters at this site.

it's my local patch and I always keep an eye out, with little optimism, whilst searching for Purple Hairstreaks so it was a great surprise, and delight, to find a lovely fresh specimen on the 23rd June this year.

I found what I presume was the same individual on the 11th July on the exact spot as the first sighting.

Amazingly I found another one literally 5 minutes walk from my house on Sandridge Common on 18th July whilst walking the dog. A new location for the species in Wiltshire. Unfortunately I only had my mobile phone to capture a picture.

23rd June

23rd June

23rd June

23rd June

11th July The same individual I think!

18th July Sandridge Common. A new location for Wiltshire

[Padfield]

Hi Stevie. I think your individual from 11th July is a different one from the one on 23rd June. There are several differences in the markings which I don't think can be down to wear and tear: the costal streak on the 23rd June individual, for example, as well as less obvious differences in the individual sections of the streak. I could be wrong, but I think you can log at least two individuals (females) from that site.

Guy

[Stevieb]

Hi Stevie. I think your individual from 11th July is a different one from the one on 23rd June. There are several differences in the markings which I don't think can be down to wear and tear: the costal streak on the 23rd June individual, for example, as well as less obvious differences in the individual sections of the streak. I could be wrong, but I think you can log at least two individuals (females) from that site.

Guy

That's excellent news for the site Guy. I'll be out looking again this year.

[bugboy]

Hi Stevie. I think your individual from 11th July is a different one from the one on 23rd June. There are several differences in the markings which I don't think can be down to wear and tear: the costal streak on the 23rd June individual, for example, as well as less obvious differences in the individual sections of the streak. I could be wrong, but I think you can log at least two individuals (females) from that site.

Guy

That's excellent news for the site Guy. I'll be out looking again this year.

I was looking at these on my phone at work today and came to the same conclusion as Guy. Was going to wait until I looked at them properly on my computer before commenting but Guy beat me to it

[David M]

This species, along with Purple Hairstreak, is probably the most frustrating in my area of the country. There IS a strong colony at Loughor, near Llanelli, but they NEVER descend and every year I have to resort to long distance shots of them high up in the trees

[Matsukaze]

Can they be tempted lower by coating leaves in sugar solution?

[David M]

Can they be tempted lower by coating leaves in sugar solution?

Never tried that with WLHs, Chris. If they are anything like Black Hairstreaks then yes, they probably would be tempted.

We have some elms in the woodland on my estate so I really must spend some time checking them this year.

[Lee Hurrell]

This is a special one for me. Before 2020, the last White-letter Hairstreak I had seen was 9 long years ago, back when I lived in west London. I was determined to find them again last year and after several early morning visits to a local site where they can reliably be seen, I struck gold.

Having seen one in the treetops and being pleased with that, as I was walking back towards my car, I found this pristine female nectaring on an umbellifer, right in front of me.

White-letter Hairstreak, female, Yew Hill, Winchester, Hampshire, 3rd July 2020

Then would you know it, I chanced upon another doing the same a few days later at a wood in Basingstoke. Bloody brilliant

White-letter Hairstreak, female, Basing Wood, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 10th July 2020

White-letter Hairstreak, female, hindwing detail, Basing Wood, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 10th July 2020

[Wolfson]

Although I came across White-letter Hairstreak at a number of sites in 2020, I have a very reliable site a few miles from home where a large patch of brambles in a clearing has yet to let me down. The patch is getting rather large and spreading and the challenge is how to approach it without getting snagged, causing the patch to shake and spook the butterflies. It all adds to the fun.

[David M]

...Having seen one in the treetops and being pleased with that, as I was walking back towards my car, I found this pristine female nectaring on an umbellifer, right in front of me.

Ah! The stuff of dreams, Lee.