Snogging Hairstreaks

[Zonda]

Caught these two in the bus shelter snogging,,, Alners Gorse, Dorset.

[Paul Wetton]

Great shot Zonda.

Think you'll find they're actually enemies playing push of war. I saw this behaviour at Bernwood Forest last year.

I watched one push the other off it's acorn several times before the presumably weaker individual gave up.

[Michaeljf]

Paul,
I'm sure you're right but the romantic conotations are much nicer! I too have seen this behaviour a couple of years back and didn't know what to make of it. Great photo Zonda. Must be one of the best from this year .
Michael

[David M]

Aaw, sweet. That shot brings the orange antennae tips to the fore as well.

Excellent photograph.

[millerd]

That's a terrific bit of observation. There is a staggering amount of behavioural data on this website - I hope someone's taking notes...

Dave

[Philzoid]

Is it just me or does the outline of the two together look like one giant butterfly

Squint your eyes a bit, one giant butterfly caught by a crab spider ......... OK perhaps not

The one on the right looks like a female. Fighting girls or fending off a male's advances?

[Willrow]

Another World Class capture Frank...I guess you can have a White-letter day as well as a Red-letter day

Bill

[Lee Hurrell]

...or be going though a purple patch? I'll get me coat.

Michael, Karen and I observed this very behaviour yesterday at Bernwood!

Nice photo too, Zonda.

Cheers

Lee

[Zonda]

They weren't conjoined,,, they parted and went their separate ways, without consumating, so probably a rebuff, or just two males sparring (red deer fashion), as observed by Paul Wetton. I can't tell the sexes apart by the underwings. Its not a great shot, because they took me by surprise, and i never had time to fit the flash on the camera, for some underwing light. The 'in cop' shot that i was waiting for never happened.