Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

🦋 Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

The Green Hairstreak is a small but vivid butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae (the blues, coppers, and hairstreaks). It is renowned for its bright emerald-green underwings, which provide both camouflage and a striking display in the right light.

🧬 Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Lycaenidae
• Genus: Callophrys
• Species: C. rubi

🌈 Identification

• Wingspan: 25–30 mm
• Coloration:
  • Underside: Brilliant metallic green with a white line, sometimes faint or broken
  • Upperside: Brown and rarely visible as they never open wings at rest
• Antennae: White and black banded with small clubs
• Sexual Dimorphism: Very subtle; males and females look similar

🔍 Key feature: The wings are always held closed when at rest—so only the green underside is visible, making them incredibly cryptic among green vegetation.

🐛 Life Cycle

🥚 Egg

• Laid singly on young shoots or flower buds of host plants
• Tiny, pale green, and round
• Laid from April to June

🐛 Larva (Caterpillar)

• Green with pale yellow markings, very well-camouflaged
• Shaped like a slug, typical of Lycaenid caterpillars
• Feeds on flowers and young leaves of host plants
• Has a mutualistic relationship with ants in some areas—ants protect the larvae in exchange for sugary secretions

🟠 Pupa

• Pupates in leaf litter or just below the soil surface
• Overwinters as a pupa
• Emerges in early to mid-spring (March to June depending on location)

🦋 Adult

• Flies from March to July depending on altitude and climate
• Typically one generation per year

🌍 Habitat & Range

• Distribution: Widely distributed across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia
• Common in the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Central Europe
• Preferred habitats:
  • Heathlands
  • Scrubland
  • Chalk downland
  • Woodland edges and clearings
  • Moorland and sand dunes

📌 Microhabitat: Prefers warm, sunny locations with patchy vegetation and diverse low-growing plants

🌱 Food Plants (Larval Host Plants)

The Green Hairstreak is polyphagous (feeds on a wide range of plants), including:

• Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
• Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
• Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
• Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
• Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium)
• Dogwood, buckthorn, and others depending on region

🍯 Adult Nectar Sources

• Buttercups
• Dandelions
• Bluebells
• Bugle
• Bramble flowers

They don’t stay long on any one flower—frequently darting between blooms.

🧠 Behavior & Ecology

• Territorial: Males often perch in sunny spots and defend small territories
• Flight pattern: Fast, jerky, and low to the ground
• Camouflage: The green underside perfectly matches leaves and grass—extremely hard to spot when resting
• Symbiosis: Sometimes forms mutualistic relationships with ants (especially in southern populations)

🛡️ Conservation Status

• Currently not globally threatened, but locally declining in some areas due to:
  • Habitat loss
  • Agricultural intensification
  • Overgrazing and scrub removal

🟢 Conservation Efforts:

• Maintaining open, sunny scrubby habitats
• Encouraging host plants in reserves and public green spaces
• Monitoring by butterfly conservation groups (e.g., Butterfly Conservation UK)

🧭 Field ID Tips

• Look for them from mid-spring to early summer
• Scan low vegetation and sunny, sheltered areas
• Best seen during mid-morning to early afternoon on warm, calm days
• Watch for darting green flashes near bramble or gorse bushes

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