Two summers ago (August) I photographed a White-letter Hairstreak in the Lynher Valley, Cornwall that was of interest to locals since it was only about the third confirmed record of the species in Cornwall in the past twenty years. Last year (first week of July) I saw another one. I'm keen this year to spend some time actively seeking the species to see if I can find more than one. Can anyone tell me the earliest dates they've seen them on the wing in areas where they are more regular? Thanks
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White-letter Hairstreak (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Britseye
- Start date
Hi , 1 seen near Cheltenham this week so they are out, now, per twitter
Regards Howard
Regards Howard
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
Northumbs, early to mid July, but I'd expect them to be earlier down in Cornwall.
Thanks for the heads-up, folks. Spent a little time yesterday morning looking at the two patches of flowering bramble where I've seen them previously. No sign yet. Mind you, Friday and Saturday represented the first two days the sun had been out down here for almost a fortnight.
Just looking at the time stamp on your post, Aeshna. Moths? Or young kids getting you up at that time of the morning!?
Off to a local mothing session at dawn.
:t: It's always hardest to keep going a week either side of the shortest night, I find! I'm doing sugar solutions rather than lights at the mo - still keeps me up until at least one-thirty in the morning and can never lie-in much beyond six.
Probably of total irrelevance to Cornwall, but the first White-lettered Hairstreaks flying here in Lithuania this weekend, along with Ilex and Black Hairstreaks, this surely of even less relevance to Cornwall 
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
White-letter Hairstreaks have been out for a few days at our site in Bristol that was discovered a couple of years ago.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
One or two seen in Plymouth this week I think - check out the Devon Birds blog.
Thanks. I'm still looking each day.
Dave Boyle
Well-known member
Hi Graham - I'm sure you know this but where I used to see them regularly late afternoon/evening was the best time to see them down on brambles - during the day you had to scan the tops of elms with binoculars
Thanks, Dave. Yes, I'm sort of aware of that but appreciate confirmation that they do come down again in the afternoons since the only two I've seen have been around 9am. I've mostly been checking 8am-9am so far, tending to turn attention to looking for displaying Purple Hairstreaks in my late afternoon walks. Haven't seen any of them yet this year either.
I looked at Devon Birds for the first time in a while, just to check the White-letter Hairstreak records there. They are regularly seen just across the Tamar from me in Central Park, Plymouth, but it seems from other comments in the recent sightings, the species is almost as infrequently seen in Devon as it is in Cornwall.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Went to check on our local colony today. They've chopped the elm down.
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Why have they cut down the tree Larry, don't the local butterfly group liaise with whoever manages the spot?
Though I have a couple of good sites for WLH locally, today I was co-leading a butterfly (+ general natural history) walk at Ruislip Woods where we had 18 butterfly species. Most unexpected at the end was a White-letter Hairstreak at eye-level nectaring on some Dittander at the south end of the Lido, Not sure where the nearest elm is?
More expected where Purple emperor, Purple Hairstreak, White Admiral + Silver-washed Fritillary
More expected where Purple emperor, Purple Hairstreak, White Admiral + Silver-washed Fritillary
