White-letter Hairstreak near Cambridge?

[dilettante]

Can anyone recommend where I should go looking for WLH anywhere near Cambridge? Is Brampton Wood my best bet? And since I gather they stick to particular trees, any precise guidance on where and when to look would be appreciated.

Thanks for any advice

[Zonda]

Gawd! I thought you'd seen one, going by the title of your post, and not noticing the question mark. Warm mornings after rain seems good, according to the experts. Whoops,,, and also near Elm of some sort. Good luck, look on the 'sites' for this butterfly on UKB. I myself will be checking Alners Gorse weekly, from now on.

[PhiliB]

Bedford Purlieus is probably the best site in Cambs. The prime location in the wood is the ride running east of TL 0369 9884.
Counts of 50+ have been common over the last couple of years.
At the moment there is a lack of suitable flowering plants to encourage them down to low level, but over the next week or two that should change.
Good luck

Phil

[dilettante]

Excellent. Thanks Phil. Hopefully I'll get a chance to give Bedford Purlieus a chance some time over the next few weeks. And it's conveniently close to Barnack, which should be worth a visit too.

Apologies for the false alarm, Zonda

[EricY]

I has a look at Bedford purlius last friday as mentioned in my report of our visit to Glapthorn. The ride in question for WLH's & SWF's has been cut down over the winter, no brambles or understory etc. We did think that although vegitation is growing now, the site might not be up to it's usual standard this year. Eric

[PhiliB]

I agree with Eric that the bramble on the north side of the ride has been cut back. This will hopefully not impact the WLH too much as they tend to prefer to nectar on thistle at this location, which is found on the south side of the ride. The thistle here is just coming into flower.
When the marjoram flowers, again found on the south side of the ride, it will be the favoured nectar source for this colony.
Phil

[Paul Wetton]

Last year we counted in excess of 50 WLH then gave up and enjoyed watching and filming them although most were a little worn by the time we visited.
Most were on the Marjoram on the southern side of the ride although there were so many they were found on many plant species on both sides of the ride.
Some locals mentioned that last year was exceptional with regard to numbers.
I have a sneaking suspicion that aphid honeydew was in short supply encouraging hairstreaks to gravitate downwards as there were three species feeding on the brambles at Alners Gorse last year with decent numbers of Purple and Brown in double figures.
We visited Bedford Purlieus on 24th July and by the state of most individuals we were a couple of weeks too late. I reckon end of June may be good this year with all the early emergences. There were some abberant individuals sighted there last year with smudged white on the wings although I didn't see any myself.
Good luck to all.

[NickB]

BP does seem the best local sight where you have a good chance of photography. They are also reported at the Racecourse car-park end of the DD at Newmarket, where there are a few elms, though I have not seen them there. Also at the Madingley Road P&R at the back and side of the site where elms still survive in the hedgerow; there are also Purple Hairstreak in the oaks at the entrance. Again, not so easy for photography and not in such numbers as BP. If the weather looks sunny in the next few days ( - when?) I may take another trip to the P&R. I am sure they exist in small numbers elsewhere unreported where elms still survive in the hedgerows....
N

[dilettante]

Thanks Nick. It does seem from the UK distribution maps that they are widespread, but it's knowing where to find the particular trees that's important. I might see you at the P&R then! Even if I can't get a photo, I'd like to get to see them.

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Nick/dilettante,
I spent some time looking for WLH eggs on the Elms at the Cambridge P&R site in the spring, but did not find any. That is probably only a reflection of my poor technique as I'm sure there must be lots
I drive past every day and will certainly be on the lookout for adults over the next few weeks. It is quite surprising how many elms you can spot once you get your eye in. There are numbers along that bit of road (and on the Madingley side of the Madingley/Coton crossroads) and quite a few on one edge of Hardwick Wood.

NB: Elm suckers were planted at the new "800 Wood" in Madingley a year or so ago, so I'm hopeful that WLH will find them as the trees get bigger.

Trev

[dilettante]

... at the Cambridge P&R site [...] I drive past every day

So much for the Park and Ride scheme!

[dilettante]

Yay! Saw them at Madingley Park and Ride this evening! Quite a few WLHs on a poplar (I think) overshadowing an elm tree. No close views, only through binoculars, and then only when they moved, but nice to see them anyway. Also a few Purple Hairsteaks on the oaks there.

For anyone wanting to find the WLHs: the lamposts in the P&R carpark all have numbers. The elm tree and poplar are right next to number 89, on the left hand side of the car park as you drive in. I was watching them from near lamppost 91 on the sunny side of the poplar, though I guess in the morning they'd be on the other side of the tree.

Thanks again to Nick and Trev for the location tip.

[Charles Nicol]

Yay! Saw them at Madingley Park and Ride this evening! Quite a few WLHs on a poplar (I think) overshadowing an elm tree. No close views, only through binoculars, and then only when they moved, but nice to see them anyway. Also a few Purple Hairsteaks on the oaks there.

For anyone wanting to find the WLHs: the lamposts in the P&R carpark all have numbers. The elm tree and poplar are right next to number 89, on the left hand side of the car park as you drive in. I was watching them from near lamppost 91 on the sunny side of the poplar, though I guess in the morning they'd be on the other side of the tree.

Thanks again to Nick and Trev for the location tip.

The Park & Ride is just the ticket !!

Charles

[NickB]

Yes - somewhere you don't have to pay just to park in Cambridge ....and watch butterflies too for free