SCIENTIFIC NAME: CALLOPHRYS RUBI
VERNACULAR NAME: GREEN HAIRSTREAK

Fig 1
ADULT Wingspan - 27 - 35mm. A small butterfly that is easily overlooked with uniform brown upper surfaces to all wings with the male having two paler patches of scent glands on the forewings. The undersides are green with a faint row of white dots and are more easily seen as this butterfly never rests with its wings open.
CHRYSALIS 8-9.5mm. Located on the ground beneath debris.
LARVA 17 - 19mm. Green and marked with rows of yellow dots. Located on gorse, bilberry, bird’s-foot-trefoil, buckthorn, dogwood, broom and various soft flowers.
EGG Located singly on the leaf tips or flower buds of the various foodplants.
BEHAVIOUR Territorial with males chasing off various intruders and parching from a chosen vantage point. On cooler days will lean sideys to capture the suns heat.
HABITAT Common throughout but localised with dry heaths, open woodlands, south-facing hillsides where there are hedgerows of favoured foodplants and old chalk quarries.
FLIGHT PERIOD Early May - Late June.

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