PNHS member, Kirsty Menzies, has had another successful year raising Purple Hairstreak butterflies from eggs collected from windblown twigs at Hurlethill. This year she managed to raise 10 butterflies, all males, and was lucky enough to see one emerge from its chrysalis. Here you can see the butterfly streaking across an old oak leaf just after it had burst out and was looking for somewhere safe to perch and inflate its wings. It is very tiny at this stage, as you can tell from its size in comparison to the leaf.
All 10 butterflies were released at Shaw Wood in Paisley, an oak woodland known to have Purple Hairstreak butterflies. It was joyous to see them tentatively emerge from captivity and fly up into the tree canopy. Hopefully there will be plenty females there for all.
If you want to see Purple Hairstreak butterflies in the wild, then why not join us on our evening walk this Thursday 3rd August at 6.30pm. We’ll be meeting at Dykebar Hospital and walking to Shaw Wood from there. Further details on our Outings page.
Paisley Natural History Society 