Purple Hairstreak
Encyclopedia
The Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus is a butterfly
in the family Lycaenidae
distributed throughout much of Europe. North Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus and Transcaucasia.
The larva feeds on Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Quercus cerris and Quercus ilex.
trees on warm sunny July and early August days. Males have a glossy purple sheen on the upperside, females have two patches on the forewing only. The underside is light grey with a white streak, edged in black, running down the middle of both wings. The hindwings have a short tail with two orange spots at the base on the underside. It is common and widespread across southern and central England
and Wales
, becoming rarer and more isolated in the north as far as central Scotland
. In Ireland
it occurs in a few isolated colonies scattered across the country but is probably still under recorded due to its reclusive habits. Males tend to stay high up in trees, females come down to lower levels to lay eggs. Both sexes feed mainly on honeydew
although females are occasionally attracted to flowers whilst taking a break from egg laying.
Quercus petraea and Pendunculate Oak Quercus robur, Britain's two native oaks are used and also some introduced species such as Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris and Evergreen oak Quercus ilex. In winter the eggs are easily found on close examination of bare branches. The caterpillar
is fully developed inside the egg after two or three weeks but doesn't hatch until the spring whereupon it burrows into the flower buds to feed safely concealed. As it gets larger and the buds open it spins a silken retreat and feeds only at night. Pupa
tion usually takes place in the leaf litter where it is tended by ants who bury them, but also sometimes in a crevice in the bark of the foodplant. There is one brood a year with adults on the wing in July and August.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in the family Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
distributed throughout much of Europe. North Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus and Transcaucasia.
The larva feeds on Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Quercus cerris and Quercus ilex.
Subspecies
- N. quercus interjectus (VerityRuggero VerityRuggero Verity was an Italian entomologist who specialised in butterflies.Verity was born in Florence on 20 May 1883, the elder son of Richard Henry Manners Verity and his wife Matilda daughter of Cav. Sebastiano Fenzi and Emily Verity...
, 1919) Italy
- N. quercus longicaudatus (RileyNorman Denbigh RileyNorman Denbigh Riley CBE was a British entomologist with a special interest in the Lepidoptera and in particular the Lycaenidae. For many years he was Keeper of Entomology at the British Museum....
, 1921) West Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey
- N. quercus iberica (StaudingerOtto StaudingerOtto Staudinger was a German entomologist and a natural history dealer considered one of the largest in the world specialising in the collection and sale of insects to museums, scientific institutions, and individuals....
, 1901) Morocco, Algeria, Iberia
Appearance, behaviour and distribution
This active little butterfly is most often seen fluttering around high up in oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees on warm sunny July and early August days. Males have a glossy purple sheen on the upperside, females have two patches on the forewing only. The underside is light grey with a white streak, edged in black, running down the middle of both wings. The hindwings have a short tail with two orange spots at the base on the underside. It is common and widespread across southern and central England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, becoming rarer and more isolated in the north as far as central Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
it occurs in a few isolated colonies scattered across the country but is probably still under recorded due to its reclusive habits. Males tend to stay high up in trees, females come down to lower levels to lay eggs. Both sexes feed mainly on honeydew
Honeydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
although females are occasionally attracted to flowers whilst taking a break from egg laying.
Life cycle and foodplants
Eggs are laid singly at the base of oak buds in late summer ready to hatch the following spring as the buds break. Both Sessile OakSessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
Quercus petraea and Pendunculate Oak Quercus robur, Britain's two native oaks are used and also some introduced species such as Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris, the Turkey oak is an oak native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of Quercus sect. Cerris, a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns that usually mature in 18...
Quercus cerris and Evergreen oak Quercus ilex. In winter the eggs are easily found on close examination of bare branches. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
is fully developed inside the egg after two or three weeks but doesn't hatch until the spring whereupon it burrows into the flower buds to feed safely concealed. As it gets larger and the buds open it spins a silken retreat and feeds only at night. Pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
tion usually takes place in the leaf litter where it is tended by ants who bury them, but also sometimes in a crevice in the bark of the foodplant. There is one brood a year with adults on the wing in July and August.