Regional Species


Green Hairstreak
Callophrys rubi

Photograph by Janet Graham (Nr. Bala)

Regional Species

Although not rare this species often goes unnoticed for several reasons: it flies relatively early in the year when few people are out actively looking for butterflies, it frequents habitats which tend to be rather different from that of most other butterflies and the green underside of the wings afford it excellent camouflage. Green Hairstreaks may be found where there is a healthy growth of bilberry associated with features such as a scattering of trees or shrubs, the edge of a conifer plantation or a gorge in hill country. Each of these examples introduces a vertical element into the habitat, giving the male butterflies somewhere to perch.

The usual larval foodplant in North Wales is Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) but it is possible that Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) is also used (e.g. by the butterflies on Gors Goch, Trawsfynydd) and Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is mentioned in the literature. In limestone areas Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium) is also used, as for example at Loggerheads Country Park.

This is an easy butterfly to identify, as there are no other similar species.

Further information available from the NW Lepidoptera Database, including access to detailed records, maps, flight-time charts and photographs.