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Brown Hairstreak in Worcestershire - Bulletin 47

September 2007

Dear Brownhairstreakers,

After all the dreadful weather we have experienced for most of the summer, the sun has at last decided to shine, hopefully to the benefit of this year's crop of Brown Hairstreaks which continue being seen in good numbers.  Our annual Brown Hairstreak Day on 2nd September proved to be a very good event with around 25 people attending including contingents from Butterfly Conservation branches in the East Midlands and Warwickshire.  I am told that everyone managed to get a view of at least one Brown Hairstreak and that there were enough co-operative females around (?!) for the photographers to be very happy.  Grateful thanks, as always, go to Miriam Tilt and her team of helpers for providing refreshments in the village hall and it is good to report that this year we managed to make a small profit for conservation.

It is perfectly understandable, given the difficulty of spotting adult butterflies, that most Brown Hairstreak enthusiasts gravitate towards those sites like Grafton Wood where they feel they have the most chance of seeing one.  The result of this, however, is that we only have records of adult Brown Hairstreaks from around 10% of the squares where we have recorded eggs!  It is very good to report, therefore, that Trevor Bucknall recorded 2 Brown Hairstreaks on 4th September on farmland near Bradley Green that we had surveyed last winter.  Perhaps now that most people have had their annual Brown Hairstreak fix, we could encourage more visits to other more outlying areas where we have previously recorded eggs but, as yet, have not seen adults.  There is certainly a lot of territory to cover. 

My recent holiday to Cornwall was relatively devoid of butterflies, although I was pleased to record my first UK Clouded Yellow of the season and also a Wall Brown, which is a species that seems to have completely disappeared from Worcs.  As far as Brown Hairstreaks were concerned, my withdrawal symptoms were suffciently strong to call in to a known Devon site for the species on the way back.  This was a common between Totnes and Newton Abbot which had been recommended by Rob Mabbett.  It proved an interesting area, very flower-rich, but sadly I recorded no Brown Hairstreaks.  I was very pleased, therefore, to find on my return that Worcestershire's Hairstreaks are still very much with us.  A short walk from the church towards Grafton Wood on 15th produced excellent views of three females within around half an hour; the first near the base of the regular assembly tree halfway to the wood (see photo) and a further two along the hedgerow leading into the orchard.

All were very low down, alternately basking for a few seconds on vegetation and then disappearing into the blackthorn on egglaying forays.  I was struck once again watching the butterflies, just how easy it is to miss them altogether when they are engaged in the latter activity.  I ran into another enthusiast later who told me he had also seen three.  The butterflies were very active and photography was not easy but I am not complaining as, when I returned home, I realised I had managed over 20 photos which has to be a personal record for a single morning's hairstreaking!  Although beginning to look a little worn, the butterflies were still in reasonable nick.  Certainly, if the weather holds, there should still be plenty of opportunities of seeing Brown Hairstreaks over the coming weeks and, as always, I will be pleased to receive people's records from Grafton Wood and especially elsewhere.

Finally, a reminder that, while the sun may still be shining, we have already recommenced our programme of conservation management in and around Grafton Wood.  Our regular work days are on the second Sunday of the month meeting at Grafton Flyford Church for 10 am and new faces are very welcome.  The next work day will be 14th October but for those that have time in the week there are also planned sessions on Wednesdays.  Further details are available from John Tilt on john.tilt2@btopenworld.com or by ringing 01386 792458.  

Mike Williams

Brown Hairstreak Species Champion