Caption: White Letter Hairstreak Butterfly (c) Butterfly Conservation
A keen eyed Cumbria Butterfly Conservation Branch member spotted a White-letter Hairstreak butterfly by some elm bushes near Rusland Cross in summer. Five of us set off on a bright, sunny January day to see if we could find some eggs to show they were breeding in the area.
The eggs are tiny, look a bit like a spaceship, and can be found with luck and sharp eyes, around bud and twig scars, usually on the sunny side of a tree. We searched all the bushes in the area, using a long hook to pull higher branches into view, but nothing could be seen!
We also looked at the large elm tree near The Yan at Grizedale, and whilst enjoying a welcome cuppa at the café heard about another elm tree near Force Forge. It was big, but most of the twigs were out of reach!
So the hunt begins! Please keep your eyes open for flowering elms in the Spring and let us know.