BACK__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brown Hairstreak in Worcestershire - Bulletin 19

December 2005

Dear Brown Hairstreakers,

A rather short bulletin this time round to remind all local Champions that the winter Brown Hairstreak egg count season is almost upon us. We are meeting this Saturday, 17th December, 2005 at Grafton Flyford church at 10 am from where we will walk across the fields to Grafton Wood. As a special incentive to encourage everyone to come, we will be offering a cup of mulled wine and a mincepie to everyone who finds an egg! So give yourself a break from the Xmas shopping and come along to join in. Apart from anything else, you will enjoy the look on friend's faces when you tell them you spent the weekend before Xmas looking for butterfly eggs. We shall go on to around lunchtime but people can stay for as long or short a time as they like.

For those who haven't tried searching for eggs before, it is great fun and surprisingly addictive - it must be, as our regular band of egg hunters have been at it for the past fifteen years! We should have a map available showing all the local squares where Brown Hairstreak eggs have not yet been recorded so when people have hopefully got their eye in they can have a try on their own and help us plot new areas. An ideal Boxing Day or New Year Day activity perhaps and fun for all the family! As well as being enjoyable, it is a really good way of doing your bit for conservation as the information the egg hunts provide enable us to learn how to better manage hedgerows for the butterfly and allow us to target new landowners with advice on Brown Hairstreak conservation. Last year, throughout the winter, we located almost a thousand eggs in total and it will be interesting to see how this year compares. Further egg hunts are planned for January but let's get the season off to a flying start.

Hope to see as many of you as can make it on Saturday but, for the rest, have a great Xmas and New Year and happy hunting...........

Best Wishes,


Mike Williams,
Brown Hairstreak Species Champion