• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

White-letter Hairstreaks - rarish? (1 Viewer)

deborah4

deborah4

Well-known member
Hi

Birding one of the LP's this morning and was pointed out a group of hairstreak moths on an American Chestnut by a couple of elderly birders that use the same patch - how scarce are they? Also saw purple emperor, speckled wood, admirals, and wood whites among others - plenty of damsels and darters including several large Common Aeshna feeding insects over the pond - all I need now are a few spotted flycatchers!
 
deborah4 said:
Hi

Birding one of the LP's this morning and was pointed out a group of hairstreak moths on an American Chestnut by a couple of elderly birders that use the same patch - how scarce are they? Also saw purple emperor, speckled wood, admirals, and wood whites among others - plenty of damsels and darters including several large Common Aeshna feeding insects over the pond - all I need now are a few spotted flycatchers!
Click to expand...

White-letter Hairstreaks are butterflies not moths.

And yes they are rather rare, basically because thier caterpillars feed on Elm, and that is of course not that common due to dutch Elm disease.

Purple Emperors and Wood Whites aren't common either.

Nice one :t:
 
Sean F said:
White-letter Hairstreaks are butterflies not moths.

And yes they are rather rare, basically because thier caterpillars feed on Elm, and that is of course not that common due to dutch Elm disease.

Purple Emperors and Wood Whites aren't common either.

Nice one :t:
Click to expand...

:egghead: oops that'll teach me to rush! Saw the above in a wildlife conservation area (SE England) so think they must be quite local - lots of elms still left down here though - Council launched massive felling programme to 'distance' elms from each other as preventative effort and seems to have worked. Other habitat includes managed bramble, wild flowers, hawthorn etc
(had some help of the old B's for Id!)
 
Warning! This thread is more than 18 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Brian Stone
Tenerife January 2024
Replies
11
Views
1K
MKinHK
MKinHK
S
Ecuador, Mindo & Antisana - August 2023
Replies
3
Views
1K
Shumi
S
NAB
Spring Migration, Lake Erie, Ontario, Canada, May 2022 (14/05/2022 – 22/05/2022.
Replies
6
Views
2K
wolfbirder
wolfbirder
rollingthunder
Malaga Jan 2023.....
Replies
4
Views
2K
rollingthunder
rollingthunder
C
ABC Birds
50 51 52
Replies
1K
Views
65K
apbarr
apbarr

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top