Black Hairstreak

As promised yesterday something very special for my 30th butterfly species of the season. If you look on the Butterfly Conservation website you will find it described as one of our rarest and most elusive species. You will also read that it is found only on heavy clay soils between Oxford and Peterborough. This is no longer the case - a large introduced but naturalised population has been discovered in Sussex not five miles from my home. Following reports of three individuals seen last summer a survey has been underway this month that has confirmed the presence of a large population (counts of almost 100). It appears that the butterfly was introduced here in the 1960s or 70s but then remained undetected until now.