Hairstreak bonanza

2018 appears to have been an amazing year for Black Hairstreaks, with record-breaking numbers across it's range. Reasons for this are not initially clear, however it is likely to have been a combination of factors, including a particularly warm May and the lack of a parasitic wasp, that normally preys upon the lava.

Seeing the numerous photos of Black Hairstreaks popping up on twitter and hearing of the numbers being seen, I was eager not to miss out! I do really need to suss out the Oxfordshire sites close to me as these will potentially be far more convenient! However having been at my parents on Friday night near Northampton, I decided I would take the drive up to Glapthorn, north Northants on Saturday morning, knowing this would give me the best chance of some photos.

The weather wasn't looking great and in fact it rained a bit on route. It was though warm and knowing I'd seen them active under cloudy skies in previous years, I was hopeful.

I parked up at about 10:30am and walked the short distance to the area of brambles that they favour for nectaring. I needn't have worried...in no time I saw my first one twirling around on a nearby bramble flower.



The more I walked around this relatively discreet area, the more I got my eye in and was finding them all over the place. Many were now looking rather worn, including one that clearly had a few problems when emerging, looking a bit crinkly!





Pleasingly, there were also a handful of beautiful fresh butterflies which, judging by the length of their tails, were females.





Thankfully, the weather held, even getting a few rays of hazy sun through the cloud at times. Furthermore, for an hour and a half of the two hours I was there, I had the place completely to myself!







I stayed until 12:30pm and then I had to head back home to Brackley, virtually driving the entire length of Northants in the process! But what a brilliant morning!