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Black Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2022

Week 1

Right then let’s kick things off and get started!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by 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.

Here we go!

Have a goodun

Wurzel
P.S. You might want to select your Favourite first so you can save it for the grand finale in 20 weeks time…

Another easy one - this time because there was only the one example of the species I was able to get reasonable shots of this year! This came down at Epsom Common on the late afternoon of June 8th, courtesy of Bugboy (who managed to keep it entertained while I drove there from Denbies through heavy traffic - and then I found I'd left my camera in the car so had to go back through the woods to retrieve it).Well worth the effort after a fruitless search at Whitecross Green Wood the day before.

Dave

Glapthorn Cow Pastures is a Northamptonshire stronghold for the species, not too far from our Lincolnshire locality. On this year's visit I managed to capture them whilst still fresh. I was particularly excited to get a sneak shot of the hindwing upperside markings showing, but the perfect shot would have shown the underside markings too. Beggars cant be choosers! This was on the 12th of June and we saw 17 in total on the bramble blossom. Wait patiently and they may even come along in twos like buses!

Very nice, Phil. Not often you get two in such close proximity.

I managed to see Black Hairstreak at Epsom Common, during a busy time, a few photos taken this year, hopefully will get a full day there in 2023.

A couple from a late afternoon visit to Epsom Common. There were several around, but this female was the best looking Later with the sun lower in the sky the light picked out the scales giving the species a totally different look