Butterflies and ants

[Susie]

I know that the relationship between some butterflies and ants is well recorded, but what about the hairstreaks and ants? Is there a relationship between purple and brown hairstreaks and ants?

I only ask because when I am gardening to encourage the above butterflies I wonder if I have to ensure that the ants flourish too.

[Pete Eeles]

Is there a relationship between purple and brown hairstreaks and ants?

Yes there is Susie - although it's not conclusive why this is. Both Purple and Brown Hairstreak pupae, for example, are attractive to ants. The common theory is that the association with ants offers protection from certain predators. I suspect the ants may also offer a cleaning service

In captivity neither of these species suffer when ants are not present. But I guess they're free of predators anyhow! However, I believe that Silver-studded Blue larvae can perish if they are not in the company of ants which remove any sticky and sugary substances they may exude.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Susie]

Thanks, Pete.

So do the ants take the pupa down into their nests in the same way that they do with adonis blue? Is it any particular type of ant?

Looks like I am going to have to be much more careful where and when I am digging in the garden borders. Some areas are going to have to be no go zones for certain times of the year.

Gardening for butterflies is so much more than planting a few nectar rich flowers!

[NickB]

I read in Collins Butterfly Guide ("The most complete guide to the Butterflies of Britain & Europe" - Tolman & Lewington)* that many species of ant are involved in the caring for larvae of various blue butterflies, though interestingly not the most widespread, the Common Blue.
N
* One for the Christmas Present list...? I was lucky and got mine early.....!

[Pete Eeles]

So do the ants take the pupa down into their nests in the same way that they do with adonis blue? Is it any particular type of ant?

The answer to the first question is "maybe" I'm sure Shirley will let us know

The answer to the second is "not as far as I know". The only species that is dependent on a certain species of ant (as far as I know) in this country is the Large Blue which is dependent on Myrmica sabuleti (a red ant).

Cheers,

- Pete

[Shirley Roulston]

Is there another Shirley knocking about, if its me, don't tell me that I should now be looking underground for the Holly Blue, I was going to buy a torch to look in the crevices but perhaps I need a miners hat with a torch on top. When you say red ants Pete, do you mean orange, I have orange ants in my Polytunnel. Its very complicated looking for Pupau.
Shirley

[Susie]

So who is the expert on brown and purple hairstreaks then? Someone must know.

There are loads of ants nests in the lawn under my oak and quite a few more in the flower beds around the blackthorns. These hold at least a few different types of ants (I haven't got around to finding out exactly what yet - only that there are big and small black ones, orange and red; not exactly scientific I am? ). I can see next summer is going to be very busy studying them.

[Shirley Roulston]

My first search for the Holly Blue Pupa, woodlice, snails, a tiny red anty thing and stupid me I put my finger in a crevice and a mouse popped out, I nearly wet me self , the inside bark of the hawthorn tree where the ivy is, is exactly the same colour as the pupa. I believe the uk site was off the air to-day, so I put on google photos of the holly blue which turned out to be exactly like Pete's, but on the same site I think its butterflies in Ireland, the pupa for the greyling is under the soil. Has anyone when digging in the winter turned over the soil and have seen tiny bronze coloured insect casing which I have always thrown to the hens--- well I think they now are butterfly pupau, so tomorrow off I go with a spade and see what I can find.
Shirley

[Neil Jones]

I seem to recall reading that Purple Hairstreak pupae are frequently found in ants nests. Certainly it isn't unknown for a relation ship to exist with hairstreaks. Edwards Haristreak an oak feeder from the USA is known to have a relationship with ants.
Whist in Ecuador many years ago I saw was able to photograph a specimen of Thecla coronata that pupates inside bromeliads in the rainforest where apparently it is tended by ants You can see a slightly corrupted photograph of this gorgeous long tailed hairstreak on an ancient antique website of mine at http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/ecuador.htm
Somehow the photographs have got mangled and the page would have been written with a pre-release version of Netscape that was barely able to cope with photographs hence the bland nature of the site.

[Susie]

Thanks, Neil.