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| UK Status |
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| Resident |
A species which is continually Resident in the UK with stable breeding populations. |
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| Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Migrant in the UK. It may be able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Migrants are normally reported in the UK every year. |
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| Rare Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Rare Migrant in the UK. It may able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Rare Migrants may not be seen for many years. |
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| Extinct |
A species which is Extinct in the UK, usually as a result of habitat loss. |
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| Introduction |
A species which ocurs in the UK as an accidental introduction. |
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Description
The adult male Brown Hairstreak lacks the golden orange flashes on the upper-forwings which the female has.
The Brown Hairstreak is a single brooded species being on the wing from late July to early September with the males emerging first. The elusive adults occurs in low numbers over large areas. Males may congregate around a 'master tree' usually an Ash near the breeding colony.
The adults feed primarily on aphid honeydew which coats the leaves of Ash although adults can sometimes be seen feeding on flowers. The females may be found feeding on Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) and Brambles (Rubus fructicosus) between periods of egg laying.
The Brown Hairstreak is a Priority Species for conservation due to the continued loss of habitat and resulting drop in population.
Habitat
Areas of extensive hedgerows or woodland edges where Blackthorn is present in large quantities and where minimal hedgerow damage through mechanical trimming occurs. Mechanical flailing of hedgerows during the autumn months can have a devastating effect on this species with the number of eggs which hatch the following spring being greatly reduced.
Larval Food Plants
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is the sole larval foodplant of the Brown Hairstreak.
The Brown Hairstreak overwinters as an egg laid of the joint between the new years growth and old wood usually on fresh suckering Blackthorn bushes. They will also lay on more mature hedgerows.
Pupae form underground and are attractive to ant which may tend the pupae within the ants nest. |
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| Stock Photography Library |
| We have 21 photographs of the Brown Hairstreak in the British Butterflies photo library |
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BB494 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB493 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB492 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB491 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB490 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB489 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB488 - Brown Hairstreak
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BB487 - Brown Hairstreak
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| Distribution |
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| The Brown Hairstreak is found in southern (centered around Horsham west Sussex and Salisbury, Wiltshire), south-west England (Devon) and south Wales (centered around Carmarthen) with scattered colonies in Oxfordshire and Worcestershire. |
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| Where to see the Brown Hairstreak |
Pembrokeshire: West Williamston
Worcestershire: Grafton Wood, Trench Wood
Somerset: Thurlbear Quarrylands
Oxfordshire: Bernwood Meadows, Whitecross Green Wood, Otmoor |
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| Population Trends |
| species status |
the Brown Hairstreak is a resident species in Britain |
| population trend1 |
(1995-2004)  insuficient data |
(1976-2004) insuficient data |
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1Fox, R., Asher. J., Brereton. T., Roy, D & Warren, M.
(2006) The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland, Pices, Oxford. |
| UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Status |
| UK BAP status2 |
candidate priority species (link) |
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| 2 For more information about the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species status, visit www.ukbap.org.uk. |
| IUCN Category Status |
| IUCN category3 |
 vulnerable4 |
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3 Fox, R., Warren, M & Brereton, T.
(2007) New Red List of British Butterflies. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham.
4 More information about IUCN categories available here. |
| Find Out More Online* |
| More information about the Brown Hairstreak can be found on Peter Eeles excellent UK Butterflies web site. |
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Aberrations and Forms |
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| We currently know of 13 named aberrant forms of the Brown Hairstreak. More information about aberrants can be found here. |
 ab. cuneata - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. lata - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. lineata - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. lutea - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. pallida - Tutt (1896) |
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| ab. restricta - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. spinosae - Gerhard (1853) |
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| ab. steinbuhleri - Hoffmann (1914) |
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| ab. subunicolor - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. uncilinea - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. unicolor - Tutt (1907) |
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| ab. unistrigata - Schultz (1909) |
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| ab. virgata - Tutt (1907) |
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| References |
| The information on this web site comes from a variety of freely available resources including books, academic reports and web sites alongside my own personal observations of butterflies. The species descriptions are currently in the process of being edited (spring 2009) to include new data, recent personal observations and referencing following a major update to the site.
A complete list of references mentioned in the text on this web site is available here. |
| * External Links Disclaimer |
| This web site includes links to information provided by external web sites which are not in any way under the control of www.britishbutterflies.co.uk. We cannot, therefore, be held responsible for the content of external web pages. |
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36-45mm
