What does a white letter hairstreak look like?
The underwings are brown, with a white W-shaped streak, an orange edge and small tails. The Black Hairstreak is similar, but has a row of black spots on the hindwing. The White-letter Hairstreak has the erratic, spiralling flight typical of Hairstreaks.
Why is the white letter hairstreak losing its habitat?
Small colonies of the White-letter Hairstreak rely on one or two suckering Elm trees for their survival, so the loss of a single Elm can result in the extinction of a colony. Unfortunately, our Elm trees continue to disappear. This is not only caused by the continued presence of Dutch Elm Disease.
When does the white letter hairstreak start to fly?
The White-letter Hairstreak has a short flight period and is generally on the wing from late June, into July and early August with numbers peaking during the first or second week of July. 23-06-2021 by John Coakley at Wolston.
When do white letter hairstreaks lay their eggs?
Female White-letter Hairstreaks lay the majority of eggs during mid-July, this behaviour may occur into early August. When first laid the eggs appear green in colouration but later the shiny and somewhat transparent surface of the eggs turns a subtle blue tint of grey.
White-letter Hairstreak is similar but lacks row of black spots and has more obvious W-shaped streak. The adults spend nearly all their time in the canopies of trees of dense scrub where they feed on honeydew secreted by aphids.
Where can I find a black hairstreak butterfly?
Black Hairstreak The Black Hairstreak is one of our most elusive butterflies. It is found only in thickets of Blackthorn in woodlands on heavy clay soils between Oxford and Peterborough in the East Midlands of England. Underwings are brown with red edges, a row of black spots, a white streak, and small tails.
Why are black hairstreak butterflies endangered in England?
This inability to colonise new areas at a pace in balance with habitat loss, including hedge cutting, may partially explain the scarcity of this species. A regional priority in East Midlands, East of England and South East England.