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White letter Hairstreak. Photo: Paul Harris
Paul understandably told us:
Astonished to find this nectaring on a Euonymus plant in my Weymouth garden this afternoon. Don’t often get to see them like this.
You certainly don’t! We get a lot of photos of this species at our Alners Gorse reserve, but a garden in Weymouth is most unusual.
Large White. Photo: Mark Pike
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
Two more photos from Mark’s trip to Alners Gorse on 29/06/2023 – a nice fresh Large White and a White Letter Hairstreak.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
Two more photos from Mark taken at Alners Gorse on 23/06/2023 and sent in telling us:
Those little White-letter Hairstreaks do hide away in some awkward places sometimes. The one under the low hanging Elm branch was doing its best to avoid my camera but I sussed it out!
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Sharon Towning
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Sharon Towning
Two photos from Sharon sent in telling us:
I went to Alners Gorse today, 22/06/23 and saw many White-letter Hairstreaks high in the Elm trees and a few Purple Hairstreaks flying high in the Oak trees but not able to get a decent photo of them. I did however manage to get two half decent photos of the White-letter Hairstreaks when they came down low but I still had to go on tippy toes to get these photos.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Dave Law
Dave sent in this photo of a White-letter Hairstreak telling us:
After Monday nights deluge, the skies cleared this afternoon, 20/06/2023 to reveal a big emergence of White-letter Hairstreaks at Alners Gorse. This individual was very obliging coming down to feed on the honeydew on the oak leaves. I estimate there were at least 20+ flying along the elms.
Brown Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
Two photos from Mark’s trip to Alners Gorse yesterday, 26/07/2022 which clearly show the differences between these species and sent in by him telling us:
Nice selection today from Alners. A superb Brown Hairstreak, one of four seen today and a surprisingly fresh White Letter Hairstreaks given that it is now quite late in their season.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Caroline Stringer
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Caroline Stringer
Caroline sent in these photos taken at Alners Gorse on 05/07/2022 showing a Shield Bug nymph attack on a White-letter Hairstreak, saying:
I know it’s nature but it’s still sad.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Shona Refoy
Shona sent in this photo telling us:
I saw this pristine female White-letter Hairstreak at Alners Gorse on Friday, 01/07/2022 and watched her for 15 minutes as she wandered from one Elm leaf to another. In this photo she has her wings slightly open, giving us a glimpse of her very dark upperwing.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Donald Simcock
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Donald Simcock
Two photos from Donald sent in with the following comments:
I had a wonderful day yesterday, 29/06/2022 working with Nigel Spring and the Dorset Butterfly Conservation volunteers at Alners Gorse. The weather forecast wasn’t great and I wasn’t expecting to see many butterflies but on our arrival we were told to go to the Elm trees and look for White-letter Hairstreaks. The sun was shining and we met a photographer who very kindly pointed them out. Some flying high and others dipping down to the lower branches and suddenly the sun went in and they all stopped and landed. I was lucky enough to have one pointed out to me for a photo and then it was to work. Cutting scrub on the edge of the paths to get a succession of different ages and heights. Throughout the morning I would re-visit the Elm trees and the photographer was still there and giving me more information each time.
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Tom Whittingham
White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Tom Whittingham
Two photos of White-letter Hairstreaks from Tom taken at Holwell on 10/08/2021.