|
Further to my report of 3 female Brown Hairstreaks at Fiveways on Monday 16 August, the 3 BH were all seen together on the lower branches of the Fiveways Seat Ash, ie. the Ash rising above the seat at Fiveways, Chambers Farm Wood, Bardney nr. Lincoln.
The authoritative author, Jeremy Thomas, states in "The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland" (Revised edition 2010 - page 86 -) that females are "seldom seen before 10.00am or later than 4.00pm." To have one BH doing something that is 'seldom seen' is one thing, but to have three doing so is quite another. Questions arise, therefore, as to why 3 female BH should have appeared on the Fiveways Seat Ash after 4.30pm, after normal hours, so to speak. I know from conversations with others searching for BH at Chambers Farm Wood that they more or less stop looking at about 4.00pm.
With that proviso in mind, I was 'watching' the Fiveways Seat Ash from c 4.00pm, looking in the main for Purple Hairstreaks, and certainly no BH were in view for c 30 minutes. Further, we had already spoken to 3 Yorkshire butterfliers who had been watching the Ash through binoculars without success on and off since 11.30 before giving up at c 3.30/3.45pm. I was surprised, then, when I spotted the first BH in the lower branches at 4.35 and then two others followed by 4.50, to the delight of the Cleethorpes butterflier, Ian Lee, and my son, Alex. We all agreed that 3 separate BH were in view at one and the same time.
By 5.00pm or so all 3 BH had worked their way up by stages to the top area of the Ash and had disappeared into those clumps of leaves and branches out of binocular/telescope view on the inner woodland side.
Now, did the 3 BH arrive 'late' on the Ash fom 4.35 just to drink the sticky honeydew that coats so many Ashes in August, or does the Fiveways Seat Ash also serve some other more important purpose? Were they perhaps virgin females recently emerged after two warm sunny days, instinctively flying there for another reason? Although the Ash could well serve as a BH honeydew fuelling station, could the females then have moved upwards into the secluded topmost service station areas to fall into the open wings of lurking priapic males? So, does the Fiveways Seat Ash serve as a fabled master tree, or perhaps as a subsidiary master tree if the latter does indeed exist in the life cycle of the BH? Unlikely, perhaps, but the fact remains that 3 females 'appeared' on the lower branches after normal hours from 4.35pm and worked their way up to the top of the tree before disappearing into the upper areas of the Ash. The tree is in a very special position with a large open area in front - a very distinctive site, a very distinctive tree. Many butterfliers watch that Ash in August but usually move on by c 4.00pm. Further, any lurking males could well be concealed in the out of sight upper woodland side areas of the Ash, especially during the classic 11.00 -4.00pm period. Again, unlikely perhaps, but it might provide some of us with food for thought or discussion .........
Regards,
Freddy
|
Login
FAQ
Search
