Summer Butterflies in a Wealden Wood

 Every year, butterfly abundance and emergence dates vary according to weather conditions. This year, in my local woods, most summer species have emerged early and in excellent numbers, with the possible exception of the Ringlet which seems to have had a rather average year.

By the middle of June, I had seen my earliest ever White Admiral (on the 14th). My first Silver-washed Fritillary of the year appeared on 13th June (my earliest date for this species was on 10th June, over a decade ago).

The Purple Hairstreak was also early to emerge and by the time I caught up with this species during the last week of June, there were a mixture of fresh and frayed examples about.

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)

(male)

(female)

(mating)

(female, form valezina)

This beautiful pale form, which looks silvery-green, is occasionally referred to as valezina-alba.

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Peacock (Aglais io)

Comma (Polygonia c-album)

Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus)

(males)

(females)

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) (male)

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) (male)

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) (male)

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)

(female)

(mating)

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

(male)

(female)

Hairstreaks in Sussex

The Hairstreaks have always held a fascination for me. They are an attractive group of butterflies within the Lycaenidae family and you need to hone your fieldcraft skills in order to find and get close to them.

 All five species of British Hairstreaks can be found in Sussex. Two of them are common and widespread within the county, two are much more localised in their distribution and one is in the county probably as a result of an unauthorised introduction.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

This lovely species is common and widespread in Sussex and can be found in a variety of habitats. Unlike our other hairstreaks, it is not really a canopy dweller and can invariably be spotted at head height along woodland rides, gorse patches on the downs and on heathland.

(male)

(mating pair, male on right)

(female)

(male)

Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus)

Another common and widespread species in Sussex, quercus is predominantly a woodland canopy dweller. However, it can be found and approached with stealth, low down along woodland rides at certain times of the day. 

(females)

(mating)

(males)

(female, ab. flavimaculatus)

Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)

This species is predominantly a butterfly of West Sussex and rather localised in its distribution. For a species that lays its eggs on Blackthorn, a very common plant throughout Sussex, only occasional sightings are reported from East Sussex.

(all photographs are of females)

White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album)

This species is very localised in its distribution in Sussex. It lays its eggs exclusively on species of elm and colonies have been greatly affected by Dutch Elm Disease. Certainly, in my part of East Sussex, many fine elm stands have disappeared and sucker regrowth never looks very healthy after a couple of years. Consequently, finding colonies can be difficult.

(female)

(males)

Black Hairstreak (Satyrium pruni)

Nationally, this species occurs in a band across the English midlands, roughly between Oxford and Cambridge. Historically, it is unlikely that the Black Hairstreak has ever been native to Sussex but it is a species that has been subject to un-authorised releases in south-east England over many decades.

In 2017, a colony was found to be quite well established at a site in mid-Sussex.

My only encounter with the Black Hairstreak was in 2014, at a site in Cambridgeshire.

(female)