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Green Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2023

Week 6

Things are definitely slowing down now and so the end is in sight. However next weekend is the Winter Social so it’s not all doom and gloom; possibly Doombar in the gloaming instead?

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.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Green Hairstreak

This was taken on my second visit to Priddy Mineries. Philzoid and I had been caught out by the early season in 2022 and so we arrived about a week too early for the start of the Small Pearls. We made up for it with some delightful Glannies in Wiltshire on the way back but also some cracking Greenstreaks. However I chose this one as it was only one spot away from being an ab.caecus and it also sat so nicely for me during my second visit. I’d encountered the Small Pearls and was having a bit of a mooch up at the top of the hill when this little chap appeared at the same time as a Large Skipper. Needless to say, nice as the Large Skipper was, it rather got short shrift due to this fine specimen.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I had visited Keiloch Crag near Braemar in 2022 and seen quite a few Green Hairstreak and this species was a first for me that year.
So I thought I would revisit on a sunny day on May 9th 2023. After walking for a few hours admiring the beautiful scenery but not a Green Hairstreak in sight I was pleased to see this little gem cross the path in front of me just at the end of my route.
I had to get down really low to take the shot.

Cheers

Bert.

A few Green Hairstreaks at Hutchinsons Bank this May.

This year I saw Green Hairstreak in mid-April, at a small heathland site in Surrey where they normally fly quite early. As I hadn't seen them there for a few years, this was cheering.
In early May, on a visit to the North Downs near Chipstead, it seemed like things had got off to rather a slow start, so I was glad when this one turned up and perched obligingly for a while.

Having seen a fair few of the species in various places around southern England, in the end I selected this individual from 14th May at Aston Rowant.When engrossed in nectaring like this (in common with other hairstreaks), they are really easy to approach closely.

Dave

I'm not sure I saw a British example this year, but they were reasonably numerous in the Provençal garrigue in late April.

Visits to a local disused railway cutting are a springtime highlight and the resident population of Green Hairstreak never disappoint. I have chosen this photograph because it shows the range of colour well.

Green hairstreaks are generally common in Switzerland but they seem to be particularly so where I now live, in Leysin. This is one of my local butterflies, photographed at about 1770m on 21st May:



In the valley, they fly from March, but the flight season is much later in the mountains, where they can still be seen in July.

Guy

I didn't see many Green Hairstreaks in 2023. They do not occur around my local patch and the poor spring weather limited any opportunities to go looking further afield.
A visit to Butser Hill/Rake Bottom when we were down visiting our daughter in May produced half a dozen on a cloudy morning when a cool and blustery wind made photos difficult. The best shot that I managed was of this one nectaring on a wild strawberry flower.
The only other time I saw this species this year was a couple of worn examples at Prestbury Hill later in May.

Cheers,

Neil.

Wolfson wrote: ↑Tue Nov 21, 2023 5:58 pmVisits to a local disused railway cutting are a springtime highlight and the resident population of Green Hairstreak never disappoint. I have chosen this photograph because it shows the range of colour well.

Lovely row of white spots too, Wolfson.

This one, found locally on 11th May, had a well developed row of white hindwing spots:

Chased them around for ages without finding any and then suddenly found a decent site with multiples everywhere. My eyesight is pretty poor these days and Greenstreaks are easily the most difficult to see. Din Moss Scottish Borders in May.

A good year for these in my experience, popping up in all the usual places. Kithurst Meadows was a particularly good spot for them, and provided a bit of distraction from the hundreds of Dukes. This one had the best 'streak'.