Brown hairstreak: the rare butterfly quietly retaking London and beyond

Species declined in Britain in 20th century but is beginning to thrive again - possibly due to climate crisisOne of the most elusive and nationally scarce butterflies is quietly retaking London and the Thames corridor. The brown hairstreak is a beautiful, ginger-streaked insect that usually lurks unseen in the treetops in late summer.It is easier to find the hairstreak's minuscule white eggs than to find the butterfly - but only now, in midwinter, when the sea-urchin-like ova can be found on the bare branches of blackthorn, which thrives in hedges and copses on clay soils. Continue reading...