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Hi everyone, I was wondering when people expect Black Hairstreaks to be flying this year? I will be travelling through Bucks on June 16th - are they likely to be around by then? I know there were plenty out at that time last year but last year we had that exceptionally warm spring.

Thanks
John

Last year, Black Hairstreaks hit their stride in early June (due, no doubt, to the very hot early-mid spring we enjoyed). Normally, mid June is the time one can expect this species to emerge, so I would say that 16th June is probably a good time to go looking for them (assuming we don't drift back into a weather pattern that continually throws up rain and 13c temperatures).

In Cambs, it is usually the first week of June that sees first emergences; anything between the last week of May and the second week of June seems possible, depending on the weather. It is such a short flight period to catch them looking good.....
N
PS None reported here, yet.....

Tim Cowles saw his first of the year near Lyons on 29th May. Today, males were numerous near Geneva but I saw no females (unless the one below is a female - I'm not sure now). The season in Europe has begun and it will be coming to a UK wood near you very soon...



Guy

Nice shot. I too, Guy, am never 100% sure of the male/female, especially if I don't see the abdomen clearly (and, as you will attest, even then I am known to be wrong )
Tolman and Lewington suggest to me, in layman's terms, that the female has slightly more rounded fore-wings, with more orange and less black expressed on the underside of these fore-wings, than the male. Thomas and Lewington also suggest that the the female is a more chestnut brown than the slightly darker brown of the male.
One I took last year; from the shape of the abdomen, I would say female....? How about this one, Guy? And here is one from 2 years ago that has two lovely sets of tails.... Soon for 2012 indeed

Your first one clearly shows the oval male sex brand in relief under the forewing, so I go for male for that... And the second one is definitely a female. Is the absence of a visible sex brand (when the view is good enough) sufficient to diagnose female?

Guy

Your eye for detail is amazing, Guy.

I'd never have noticed that difference between the two butterflies, but now that you've highlighted it, when I revisit the images it's obvious.

padfield wrote:Your first one clearly shows the oval male sex brand in relief under the forewing, so I go for male for that...
Guy

Thanks for being so gentle on my poor ID skills......that sex brand is so evident now I look at it!
Usual BH weather over here....it generally seems to be damp and dull about their emergence time....
N

Just wondered if anyone has seen any Black Hairstreaks this year yet? I could make a trip to Bucks on Friday but the weather forecast is no good, and I'm not sure if they're out yet anyway

Cheers
John

None yet - went out today looking....