Egg-laying sites

[peterc]

I am sure you know by now that the Brown Hairstreak is one of my favourite butterflies .

Anyway, now that we are approaching the egg-hunting season I have a question for you guys. It is well known that females prefer sunny and sheltered spots on blackthorn to lay their eggs on relatively new growth but is there another factor in the equation? Presumably both sexes take honeydew and feed on nectar but for females do the nectar sources like bramble and Hemp Agrimony have to be within, say, 50 metres, of a potential egg-laying site? It is probably a daft question but I thought I'd ask anyway in case anyone has some thoughts on this. Females wouldn't want to expend too much energy in flying between feeding and egg-laying.

ATB

Peter

[Janet Turnbull]

Hi Peter, did you ever get an answer to your question? Apparently there needs to be mature ash trees near the blackthorn.
Cheers, Janet

[peterc]

Hi Janet,

No I have had no reply. The nectar sources may not need to be too close to any suitable blackthorn bushes as females are known to fly some distance and colonies, albeit at low densities, often extends up to over four 10km decads . Yes, mature ashes usually need to be near the blackthorn but the males will also take to oak and I believe, I read somewhere, hornbeam and sycamore as well.

By the way, good to see you in Birmingham yesterday.

All the best

Peter