Sussex Kipper wrote:Hi Susie,
Much Snipped ....
Purple Hairstreaks are (at least within large parts of their range) very common butterflies and in Sussex almost every decent oak will support plenty. They're hugely under-recorded, but on sunny evenings after 6 or 7 pm the sunlit crowns become alive with dancing Hairstreaks making whoopee.
Neil
Nothing much on the box tonight so a little ramble on Butterfly thingies.....
My own observations in mainly Gloucestershire confirm the Purple Hairstreak is indeed a very common and widespread butterfly and easily overlooked. Even lone Oaks can support a good colony. Thirty plus years ago, when I used to sample Oaks using a beating tray in many southern and central counties during May, it was rare that a Purple Hairstreak larva or two did not appear on the tray from the lowest branches after only one or two jars of those reachable lower branches with the stick. Additionally, again from my own observations up until the 1970s-80s, the same was true of the White-Letter Hairstreak locally in my experience. Never beat for those ~ no need ~ the butterfly being largely overlooked and that late evening active Hairstreak high up around and over the trees at the woodland edge was not the Purple as first thought. Using the Zeiss 10 x 50 binoculars revealed it to be a W-LH on many occasions. In this way I turned up several W-LH breeding trees within a mile or two of my home. I even saw a fresh female alight in the very centre of the road in the very middle of Gloucester 'Cross' where, prior to being wholly pedestrianised, traffic flowed in all four 'Cross' directions across N-S-E-Westgate streets without squashing the butterfly. There were fine specimen Wych elms nearby in Gloucester park ~ all since gone. Nowadays now they may not be so common or widespread ~ but, could still be because I have not seriously searched ~ they are so easily overlooked like the PH.
It is relatively easy to spot ova, larvae and indeed pupae of the W-LH on the lower branches of Elms. I first found W-LH early stages on Wych elms as a schoolboy back in the 1950s. Worth repeating that I've since found W-LH ova on Blackthorn in areas noted for those two other Hairstreaks which regularly use this plant for their ova. There could be higher densities of earlier stages of both PH and W-LHs on the higher branches of their trees but, I have never tried to search those. Using binoculars, I can confirm that both Purple and White-Letter Hairstreaks lay ova higher up on the trees, possibly in far greater numbers up there.
When I first viewed my own little 'nature reserve' prior to purchase nearly twenty years ago, it was a very sunny July day in Gloucestershire. The field was neglected farm pasture becoming overgrown at the time and was alive with several species of 'Browns' including large numbers of Marbled Whites... another 'Brown'.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
... There were three large Oaks in two of the hedges which surround the field, two healthy trees and one 90% dead from a lightening strike maybe twenty years before. There were also several young English Elms and many shoots in the hedges too. There were Hairstreaks flying around these Elms too and the binoculars showed some to be Purple Hairstreaks just to confuse matters.... The PHs were numerous around the two healthy Oaks and in the later evening sunshine right up until around 9pm, I was amazed to see just how many butterflies both these trees supported ~ being about 50 yards apart with much to and frowing by the Hairstreaks between the two Oaks. I counted seventeen species of butterfly that day ~ including a Clouded Yellow as well as a good population of that pretty dayflying Cinnabar Moth. You can imagine how someone like me with my interests felt. There was a For Sale sign by the gate and so decided to see if the deal could be arranged.
As it happened, we were in a bidding competition with an adjoining wealthy landowner and my bid was always topped and I finally believed the deal could not be done and so dropped out. Six months later I got a surprise phone call from the selling agents enquiring if I was still interested in the field at my previous final bid. So, the deal was done as the previous top offer backed out .... Lose some ... Win some ?..... well yes, sometimes... that field has been a joy for my family and friends. Indeed I taught both my sons and lots of their friends how to handle a car there in the early days which was another bonus. Both then went on to BSM and both passed their driving tests first time...learning how to control and handle a car in a safe environment before taking to the road is a great advantage I feel.
The mishapen oval track they made around much of the perimeter is still clearly visible from those Satellite or Aircraft 'Earth' pictures from high up over the landscape. Meantime those Oak Acorns sewed earlier by local Jays years ago are quite tall now. Indeed, part of the field has become thicket and wooded ~ the central area largely grassy with a good mixture of flowers including a good variety of insect foodplants. I have also planted several Elm species some of which I'm told are more resistent to the dreaded disease. The track is also useful for access and to use for a tour to observe what's about in various other parts. Here's my son aged about 15-16 learning how to handle a reasonably powerful car ( an MG Montego 2.0 EFi ) and helping to keep the track open:~
That's digital image of a film print ~ hence quality. Those blurred trees and bushes in the background are mostly mature Blackthorn....
Some of those sapling Oaks are quite tall now and there's a good clump of them which I may have to thin out in later years. I've removed much of the overgrown and choking Bramble, Wild Rose ( what a spiteful plant! ) and Hawthorn scrub to allow these young Oaks, Sallows, Elms, Celtis, Zelcova, Cowslips et al I've planted to develope further. I have observed the PHs over these smaller trees in good numbers in recent flight seasons. Must look for Ova on them when time allows ~ I think they're sufficientkly mature for ova now ~ certainly seen the females on them but, not observed ovipositing on them yet. Matter of time I guess.
On the willows and sallows I've planted I've found Hawk Moth and other larger moth species larvae. Semi-retired 'OAP' (
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
) now, I work a two day week to keep my eye in as it were ~ Thus, I shall have more time for my field this coming season .... not that far away now ..
Cannot come quick enough. ..... Roll on!
EDIT @ 01:35 to include some Moth larvae images seen on the Narrow Leaved Sallow I planted:
Poplar Hawk Larva ~ nearly fully grown:
Young brood of Buff Tip Larvae:
Nearly fully fed Buff Tip larvae ~ they can effectively strip a branch in no time ..
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
:
![Image](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/MGJohn/Our%20Field%20Natural%20History/Monday29thAugust2005-Field-EngineCr.jpg)