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Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 5:53 pm
by Paul
This was on my local moorland site today... initially I thought battered/ damaged... but I think the extra spots are scaled accordingly... anyone seen one like it. ??
hmmm.... not so sure now
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:15 pm
by Padfield
I never have, Paul.
Guy
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:41 pm
by Pete Eeles
Neither have I and could be a new ab. since I can't find this in any references I have. The closest is ab. bipunctanta (Tutt) - "Two white spots on the underside of the hindwings, one at the costa, the other towards the centre" ... although yours has the row of white spots too!
Cheers,
- Pete
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:08 pm
by Piers
Pete Eeles wrote:Neither have I and could be a new ab.
Or a scale defect.
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:26 pm
by Paul
Yeah. I suppose scale defect most likely... that's why I was having second thoughts.... interesting tho' ent it
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:53 pm
by Padfield
You didn't see the other side, did you?
Guy
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:24 am
by Paul
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 10:32 am
by Piers
Paul wrote: I thought the blown up pic seemed to show scales
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
As indeed it does...
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:05 pm
by Paul
so the next question is... does that matter
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
, or are the scales defective... sorry genuine ignorance here of what scale defect constitutes. I may soon appear to be a pedant
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:45 pm
by Piers
Soon??!
Scales can be 'defective' if, for some unknown reason, the processes by which the scales form and/or become pigmented are disrupted, disturbed, interrupted or corrupted. This could (for example) be due to physical damage to the larva or pupa, or a pathological condition from which the insect emerges alive, if not unscathed. Such defects can be symmetrical depending upon the nature of the cause.
Felix.
felix wrote:Scales can be 'defective' if, for some unknown reason, the processes through which the scales form and/or become pigmented are disrupted, disturbed, interrupted or corrupted.
Then why do you not refer to [southwater woods]environmentally induced aberrations[/southwater woods] as 'scale defects'? is it just your frantic semantics?
Well, jolly good question Felix, however these aberrations almost always involve a predictable reduction, expansion or otherwise mutation of existing markings, rather than new apparently random markings appearing like so much rubeola on the insects wings.
Felix.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Green Hairstreak ?ab
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:39 pm
by Paul
Yep, I see
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)