With the good weather holding and more reports on the internet of white letter hairstreaks in Central Park I decided to go for another look on Friday 5th July. I didn't get to the Park until 12:30, later than planned, but I knew that the hairstreaks had been seen that morning so I was quite hopeful.
A butterflier was just leaving as I arrived at the site, he had seen the hairstreaks but recent activity had slackened off. However within a few minutes of him leaving a hairstreak flew right past me at eye level and appeared to land in a cottoneaster bush. I eventually located it right at the top of the bush and it briefly showed out in the open before disappearing back amongst the leaves and flowers.
White Letter Hairstreak
I scanned the nearby elm tree and eventually picked up 2 hairstreaks tussling together at regular intervals right at the top of the tree and occassionally resting on the leaves. I also scanned the cottoneaster bush regularly and eventually found a hairstreak feeding on the flowers at eye level and which allowed a very close approach.
White Letter Hairstreak
White Letter Hairstreak
White Letter Hairstreak
White Letter Hairstreak
White Letter Hairstreak
It was a bit tatty looking but I'm not complaining and from the markings a different individual from the one seen in the bush earlier. I only saw 2 hairstreaks together at any one time (the 2 in the top of the elm tree) but there could have been 3 or 4 individuals present in total.
White Letter Hairstreak
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