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Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:09 pm
by Zonda
Caught these two in the bus shelter snogging,,, Alners Gorse, Dorset.
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:21 pm
by Paul Wetton
Great shot Zonda.
Think you'll find they're actually enemies playing push of war. I saw this behaviour at Bernwood Forest last year.
I watched one push the other off it's acorn several times before the presumably weaker individual gave up.
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:55 pm
by Michaeljf
Paul,
I'm sure you're right but the romantic conotations are much nicer!
I too have seen this behaviour a couple of years back and didn't know what to make of it. Great photo Zonda. Must be one of the best from this year
.
Michael
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:35 pm
by David M
Aaw, sweet. That shot brings the orange antennae tips to the fore as well.
Excellent photograph.
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:45 pm
by millerd
That's a terrific bit of observation. There is a staggering amount of behavioural data on this website - I hope someone's taking notes...
Dave
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:28 am
by Philzoid
Wurzel wrote:Is it just me or does the outline of the two together look like one giant butterfly
Squint your eyes a bit, one giant butterfly caught by a crab spider ......... OK perhaps not
The one on the right looks like a female. Fighting girls
or fending off a male's advances?
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:15 pm
by Willrow
Another World Class capture Frank...I guess you can have a White-letter day as well as a Red-letter day
Bill
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:24 pm
by Lee Hurrell
...or be going though a purple patch? I'll get me coat.
Michael, Karen and I observed this very behaviour yesterday at Bernwood!
Nice photo too, Zonda.
Cheers
Lee
Re: Snogging Hairstreaks
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:19 pm
by Zonda
They weren't conjoined,,, they parted and went their separate ways, without consumating, so probably a rebuff, or just two males sparring (red deer fashion), as observed by Paul Wetton. I can't tell the sexes apart by the underwings. Its not a great shot, because they took me by surprise, and i never had time to fit the flash on the camera, for some underwing light. The 'in cop' shot that i was waiting for never happened.
