(Linnaeus, 1758)
Green Hairstreak
Description:
The Green Hairstreak can be found on poor grassland, heathland and at the edges of bogs and marshes. The butterflies like resting in trees and shrubs, such as Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), where they are well hidden by their green colour. However, a sharp tap on a branch brings tens of them out into the air. The Green Hairstreak is extremely polyphagous.
The eggs are laid on a variety of plants, including Heather (Erica spp.), rockroses (Helianthemum spp.), and Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), leguminous plants and species of Rosaceae. The caterpillars feed on the buds, flowers and young leaves. They pupate in the litter layer and the chrysalis hibernates.
The Green Hairstreak is single-brooded.
Habitat:
Mixed woodland
Heath and shrub
Deciduous forests
Similar species:
Callophrys avis