Pair of eggs of the brown hairstreak butterfly (Thecla betulae) on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), UK
The brown hairstreak butterfly (Thecla betulae) is the largest hairstreak found in the British Isles. It is a local species that lives in self-contained colonies that breed in the same area year after year. This species is very elusive, since it spends much of its time resting and basking high up in tall shrubs and trees. The female is particularly beautiful, with forewings that contain large orange patches, and was once considered to be a separate species known as the "Golden Hairstreak". This species is found in the southern half of England and Wales, and also around the Burren in Ireland. The males are the more-elusive of the two sexes, congregating high on ash "master trees" that are positioned around the breeding area, where they feed on honeydew. They occasionally come down to feed on various nectar sources, such as Hemp Agrimony, probably when honeydew is scarce. When they do come down, however, they can be remarkably tame and easy to observe. Mating occurs without any discernable courtship, typically high in a tree. Females also spend their time on the master trees until the eggs have matured and they are ready to lay. They then disperse and alternate between basking in the warm sunshine, feeding from nectar sources, and egg-laying. Egg-laying sites are typically in sheltered areas at the edges of woodland or hedgerows where younger growth that is south-facing is favoured. The female will crawl among the branches of the foodplant, blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), feeling the branches for appropriate sites, when egg-laying. Surveying for brown hairstreaks usually involve looking for the sea urchin-shaped eggs (ova) during the winter months, since the adults can be difficult to observe.
Size: 3156px × 2104px
Location: Noar Hill, Selborne, Hampshire, UK
Photo credit: © Gillian Pullinger / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: betulae, blackthorn, britain, brown, butterflies, butterfly, close-, eggs, england, gb, gillian, hairstreak, hairstreaks, insect, insects, lepidoptera, lycaenidae, macro, nature, ova, overwintering, ovum, prunus, pullinger, spinosa, thecla, uk, wildlife, winter
