Butterfly Identification, Hairstreaks
Small or medium sized butterflies with short tails on the hind wings and a thin white streak on the underwing. None are commonly seen in North Wales and there are only three different species here; the White-letter Hairstreak, the Purple Hairstreak, both of which tend to stay at the top of trees, and the Green Hairstreak
See the Regional Species page for more details of habitats, life cycles and distribution.
Hairstreaks; (The Lycaenidae family)
Small-medium butterflies with short tails on the hind wings and a thin white streak on the underwing. The White-letter Hairstreak and the Purple Hairstreak tend to stay at the top of trees so are not often noticed. The Green Hairstreak lives nearer ground level, but only in speciifc habitats.
White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album)
The White-letter Hairstreak is so called because it has a 'W' shaped white streak on underwing,
The caterpillar feeds on Elm trees and so it has become scarce since Dutch Elm Disease wiped out so much of our Old English Elm (Ulmus procera) in the 1970s.
However, it has survived on regenerating suckers of this tree plus on Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)
The adults tend to stay at the top of the trees and feed on aphids' honeydew. They may come down to Bramble flowers sometimes.
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
This beautiful little butterfly (only about the size of a 1p. piece) is bright irridescent green on the underwings which are usually held tight shut and upright.It can look quite dingy in flight, however. It can live in two quite different habitats; in boggy or heathland areas where the caterpillars will feed on Bilberry. But on more limey soils it can feed on Rockrose and Bird's-foot Trefoil.
Purple Hairstreak; (Quercusia quercus)
Top view
Generally you will be lucky to see this butterfly, which tends to stay in the tops of oak trees where the caterpillars feed on the leaves and the adults feed on the sweet honeydew excreted by aphids on the leaves. However, this species is probably quite common, but you will be even luckier to see this top view because they tend to hold their wings shut and you usually have to see them from underneath.
Purple Hairstreak underwing
It's more likely you will first recognise this butterfly by its grey underwings. Look for Purple Hairstreaks in the late afternoon of a warm August day or evening fluttering around the tops of oak trees. If you can find a vantage point like a bank that overlooks the top of an oak, so much the better!
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