Lycaenidae : Theclinae
Black Hairstreak
SATYRIUM pruni (Linnaeus, 1758)
Black Hairstreak
SATYRIUM pruni (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 34-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Asia Minor : Siberia : Amurland : Korea : Japan
UK Distribution: One of our rarest butterflies only recorded in a small part of the East Midlands on a line between Oxford and Peterborough. It is believed there are now only 45 colonies left in this country.
UK Conservation Status -
Flight Period: UK-Mid June to late July : Central East Europe-Mid May to early July : Univoline : One brood peer year
Habitat: Blackthorn thickets in sheltered sunny positions : Roadside verges : Woodland : Paths with Blackthorn each side.
Ovum: The female deposits her ovum singly,usually on the twigs of Blackthorn or Bullace, where they remain for nine months before they emerge around March.The ovum which ranges between pale yellow and brown usually manage to attract algae over this long life stage which makes them very difficult to find.During this stage they are also,like most "Hairstreak" eggs subject to predation by parasitic wasps.
Larva: Upon emergence from the ovum through a neat hole, the small caterpillar moves to a flower bud to feed where it is well camouflaged. As the caterpillar grows it moves to the base of a clump of leaves where it will feed during daylight on the tips of the leaves.
Pupa: A master of disguise the pupa, which resembles a bird dropping, is attached to the top of a leaf or twig where it finally emerges after about three weeks.
Overwinters as: Ova
Observations: This butterfly is often confused with its cousin the White-letter Hairstreak which can be found flying at the same time. The black Hairstreak however has bright orange submarginal band on hind-wing undersides and can be distinguished from the White-letter Hairstreak by row of black dots along one edge. The "W" white line marking on the White-letter Hairstreak is missing on the Black Hairstreak.
The upper side also has orange markings along the sub marginal band can be seen when settled as in photo 1 below although the butterfly always settles with its wings closed.
The Black Hairstreak lives in small numbers around mature Blackthorn which are specifically managed to suit this butterfly, usually interlaced with Privet,Bramble and Wild Rose which provide the nectar to feed on.
The butterfly only flies in sunny conditions although I was lucky enough to find the butterfly in photo 1 only by accidentally disturbing the butterfly whilst on Blackthorn.
Being a non adventurous flyer the Black hairstreak tend to keep within their chosen environment making it almost impossible to create new colonies within short distances from the main colony.
Like all Hairstreaks this butterfly spends a great deal of time in the tops of Blackthorn bushes either feeding on honeydew or mating out of sight.
Quite often I have found this butterfly along the roadsides where the hedges feeding on the Privet blossom where they are very evident in their resplendent brown and orange markings.
In Finemere Wood near Aylesbury I have seen as many as 22 individuals in one colony which has now sadly become overgrown, albeit that the butterfly is not difficult to find in the specifically managed area for this beautiful butterfly. Certainly one of my butterfly highlights of the year.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Asia Minor : Siberia : Amurland : Korea : Japan
UK Distribution: One of our rarest butterflies only recorded in a small part of the East Midlands on a line between Oxford and Peterborough. It is believed there are now only 45 colonies left in this country.
UK Conservation Status -
- Endangered - Red List
- Least Concern
- Papilio pruni (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Lycaena fuliginosa Edwards, 1861
- Germany
Flight Period: UK-Mid June to late July : Central East Europe-Mid May to early July : Univoline : One brood peer year
Habitat: Blackthorn thickets in sheltered sunny positions : Roadside verges : Woodland : Paths with Blackthorn each side.
Ovum: The female deposits her ovum singly,usually on the twigs of Blackthorn or Bullace, where they remain for nine months before they emerge around March.The ovum which ranges between pale yellow and brown usually manage to attract algae over this long life stage which makes them very difficult to find.During this stage they are also,like most "Hairstreak" eggs subject to predation by parasitic wasps.
Larva: Upon emergence from the ovum through a neat hole, the small caterpillar moves to a flower bud to feed where it is well camouflaged. As the caterpillar grows it moves to the base of a clump of leaves where it will feed during daylight on the tips of the leaves.
Pupa: A master of disguise the pupa, which resembles a bird dropping, is attached to the top of a leaf or twig where it finally emerges after about three weeks.
Overwinters as: Ova
Observations: This butterfly is often confused with its cousin the White-letter Hairstreak which can be found flying at the same time. The black Hairstreak however has bright orange submarginal band on hind-wing undersides and can be distinguished from the White-letter Hairstreak by row of black dots along one edge. The "W" white line marking on the White-letter Hairstreak is missing on the Black Hairstreak.
The upper side also has orange markings along the sub marginal band can be seen when settled as in photo 1 below although the butterfly always settles with its wings closed.
The Black Hairstreak lives in small numbers around mature Blackthorn which are specifically managed to suit this butterfly, usually interlaced with Privet,Bramble and Wild Rose which provide the nectar to feed on.
The butterfly only flies in sunny conditions although I was lucky enough to find the butterfly in photo 1 only by accidentally disturbing the butterfly whilst on Blackthorn.
Being a non adventurous flyer the Black hairstreak tend to keep within their chosen environment making it almost impossible to create new colonies within short distances from the main colony.
Like all Hairstreaks this butterfly spends a great deal of time in the tops of Blackthorn bushes either feeding on honeydew or mating out of sight.
Quite often I have found this butterfly along the roadsides where the hedges feeding on the Privet blossom where they are very evident in their resplendent brown and orange markings.
In Finemere Wood near Aylesbury I have seen as many as 22 individuals in one colony which has now sadly become overgrown, albeit that the butterfly is not difficult to find in the specifically managed area for this beautiful butterfly. Certainly one of my butterfly highlights of the year.
Subspecies
S. pruni pruni Linnaeus, 1758 Europe : Caucasus : Transcaucasia : Siberia
S. pruni pruni Linnaeus, 1758 Europe : Caucasus : Transcaucasia : Siberia
Larval Food Plant
The Blackthorn is a welcome sight in early spring where they adorn the roadside verges in a mass of white blossom.
The Blackthorn is a member of the prunus or plum family and are probably best known for the fruit which is on the bush from July and is known as Sloe from which "Sloe Gin" gets its name.
Care should be taken with this deciduous shrub when picking fruit due to the spiny branches which can impart a serious wound if handled improperly.
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Padus avium - European Bird Cherry
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum (Britain)
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry - Framboise
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe (Britain)
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - SATYRIUM: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Papilionoidea Lycaenidae Theclinae Eumaeini SATYRIUM Scudder, 1876 Satyrium pruni Linnaeus, 1758 - Lycaena fuliginosa Edwards, 1861 - PAPILIO pruni Linnaeus, 1758 = Papilio prorsa Hufnagel, 1766 = Fixsenia pruni = Fixenia pruni = Strymonidia pruni - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.482 n.147 - Germany - S.p. excessa Tutt, 1907 S.p. lutea Tutt, 1907 S.p. progressiva Tutt, 1907 - S.p.pruni Linnaeus,1758-Europe : Caucasus : Transcaucasia : Siberia S.p.jezoensis Matsumura, 1919-Transbaikalia : Amur : Ussuri : Japan-Hokkaido |