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Black Hairstreak - Favourite Photo of 2018

Starting this week the first opportunity to showcase your favourite shots of 2018! 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 got then, I have a suspicion that there will be plenty to choose from for this post!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I'm a bit surprised no ones posted on this thread yet given the amount of excitement the Sussex discovery generated and the fact that this was probably the best year nationally for this species in living memory. I missed the Sussex experience myself, having already made my plans just before the announcement, but I still had a great day at Castor Hanglands near Peterborough in the company of PhiliB. Both sexes were around in incredible numbers and posed often enough to make us go away very happy. and a head-on shot displays just how fluffy they are when freshly emerged

Yes, BB, I doubt there has ever been a year when so many people DID actually see this species on UK soil. Sadly, I'm not one of them, but I got a shock equal to that experienced in Sussex when I found, for the first time ever, a solitary Black Hairstreak during my Alps trip....and in a place where the distribution maps show it as being absent!

We had an exceptional year in Cambs for Black Hairstreak. On 10th June Philib and I counted in excess of 100 at Castor Hanglands another reporter to the Cambs-Essex BC site reported 300, he was on the heath which we didn't visit. It's hard to imagine this species being 'the most abundant butterfly' but it most certainly was. Monks Wood was well up on numbers too though our visit there was very early for them 5th June the first being reported on 2nd June We also had a few individuals at Wood Walton Marsh, not far from Monks Wood, the first recorded there and at Riddy Wood nearby where I had seen one in 2014 and doubled my count to 2

As Bugboy mentions, all the excitement was at Ditchling Common in Sussex, and on 13th June I did get the chance to join what almost felt like a UKB summer picnic (without the lobster sarnies and champagne sadly ) Here is one of the most photographed individual butterflies of the year, as it sat for hours while people approached it from all angles.I had earlier visited a more traditional spot up at Whitecross Green Wood, where hundreds of individuals had also been reported this year. Despite quite heavy cloud on the day(7th June), it was warm and there were many on the wing. However, persuading them down within reach was another story...Finally, there was one more memorable moment, when on 30th June during a session at Bedford Purlieus near Peterborough photographing White-letter Hairstreaks, I realised that the particular butterfly in front of me was a different species altogether. Dave

You got lucky Millerd. For some reason Bedford Purlieus was the only site bucking the trend. We didn't see any there and I cannot find any reports on the Cambs-Essex sightings, Very strange

I caught up with Black Hairstreaks this year, after a few years absence. At Glapthorn Cow Pastures, they had a fantastic season, and by far the highest numbers I have seen. This was my favourite picture, of many taken.

I was at Ditchling Common, Sussex on 13th June together with many other UKB members, with a view to improving my stock of Black Hairstreak images. Fortunately the butterflies were quite co-operative and I came away happy. My favourite was one of the first ones I took.
Vince

I found black hairstreaks at two sites in 2018 where I have not found them before. None of the individuals I saw this year really played ball, but here is probably the best, taken at one of these new sites:



It's the memory that counts ...

Guy

This species did well at its re-introduction sites in central Lincolnshire this year, but my best encounter was in Burgundy, France, where I stumbled across a big colony on a limestone hillside north of Dijon. This was the first time I had seen this species abroad - there were dozens nectaring in classic style on wild privet in amongst a large scrubby blackthorn patch. Beauties!

At Salcey Forest, in Northants. I enjoyed a few hours with ovipositing females.



This one includes a fresh egg.



I also shot some video which is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goOGyGABqSM

We too spent a fabulous day at Ditchling Common, Sussex on 13th June, and It was great to meet all the other UKB members present. This stunner was a right little poser and was my favourite shot of the day.

We were in Norfolk when I saw the flurry of sightings of Black Hairstreaks this year and due to this species short flight period I didn't think that I would get a chance to catch up with them this year. It was a therefore a pleasant surprise to find a few, admittedly worn and tatty individuals, in Lady Wood when I went to Fermyn for Purple Emperors towards the end of June.
Not brilliant photos but favourites simply by virtue of being unexpected and amongst the few taken.
Cheers,

Neil.

This species normally has 4 or 5 entries....clearly, 2018 was a big year and it's wonderful to see so many people having got an audience.

I was just about to book a hotel in Thrapston (near Glapthorn Cow Pasture) in order to go and see the Black Hairstreak when the news of their discovery at Ditchling Common came in. That is only 5 miles away from where I live so I decided to go there instead! This individual was seen on the Saturday in more cloudy conditions and was very docile. I suspect it had only recently emerged. The two photos are the same insect seen from opposite sides.
Ditchling Common, June 16th 2018

Cheers
John W

I was alerted to the early emergence of Black Hairstreaks this year by reports of sightings on the Cambs-Essex BC site in early June. I had not seen this species previously so I quickly arranged a visit to Monks Wood which isn't too far from me. I was delighted to to get good views of quite a few before the weather deteriorated a bit. This one seemed to be finding a supply of honeydew on Black Bryony.

Ian