Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Subfamily: | Theclinae |
| Genus: | Favonius |
| Species: | quercus |
| Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Purple Hairstreak is our commonest hairstreak, and may be found in oak woodland throughout southern Britain, and more locally elsewhere. It is often difficult to locate, due to its habit of flying in the tree canopy, where it feeds on honeydew. However, the adults are occasionally seen basking at lower levels, on various small trees, shrubs and bracken. This butterfly is found across southern England and Wales, with scattered colonies further north. It is also found in parts of Ireland, mainly between Wicklow and South Kerry. This species is not found in the Isle of Man.
| #Individuals | #Tetrads | 2023 | 2024 | Abundance Trend | 2023 | 2024 | Distribution Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 445 | 497 | +11% | 77 | 67 | -12% |
| #Records | #Individuals | Earliest Record | Latest Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Records | 5,585 | 16,134 | 31/05/2010 | 25/09/2003 |
| 2024 | 200 | 497 | 18/6/2024 | 28/8/2024 |
| Location | Date | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Record | Totton | 18/6/2024 | 1 |
| Latest Record | Hazeley Heath | 28/8/2024 | 1 |
| Highest Count | Axmansford | 14/7/2024 | 33 |
One of the issues with 'raw' trend data is that there is inherent bias based on the number of recorders. For example, the number of individuals and populated tetrads recorded are likely to increase if there is an increase in the number of recorders. In order to remove this bias, the normalised trends use data that has been recalculated using the average number of recorders over the trend period. This normalisation gives a much better picture of the true trends.
Average #Recorders: 49.36
Average #Recorders: 49.36