Information
| Red List status: | Least Concern |
| NERC Act S41: | Not listed |
| Local status: | Common but under-recorded. (Map probably doesn't reflect complete distribution).
Potentially found anywhere there are mature Oak trees. |
| Size: | Small. |
| Larval foodplant: | Oak. |
| No. of broods: | One. |
| Flight time(s): | Late June to mid August
Average first date: 28th June
Average last date: 16th August |
| Winter: | Egg. |
| Habits: | Spend most of their lives around the tops of mature trees, especially Oak and Ash, where they flit around the canopy, especially of an evening, when they can be active up to about 8pm. When viewed through binoculars they may been seen sunbathing with wings open, displaying the purple upper surfaces. (Males are completely purple on upper surfaces, females partly). As they pupate in ground litter one opportunity to view at close quarters may be when they are emerging below oaks in early July. Females often lay on terminal oak buds that are low on the tree, so eggs can be sought there and their egg-laying behviour witnessed. |
| Habitats: | Mature Oak woodland, and clusters of large Oaks. Also visit Ash and Elm, looking for honeydew to feed upon. |
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Distribution:
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