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Star of the blackthorn Star of the blackthorn
(2 months later)
A month ago, the winding path leading through the undergrowth into Glapthorn Cow Pastures was overhung by tumbling masses of hawthorn blossom. In the early evening its heavy, earthy, lily scent cascaded in fluid torrents on to the entrant. Now its creamy petals have become leaf litter, their welcoming scent superseded by a dog rose sprinkled with delicate pink blooms releasing wafts of fragrance into the morning air.A month ago, the winding path leading through the undergrowth into Glapthorn Cow Pastures was overhung by tumbling masses of hawthorn blossom. In the early evening its heavy, earthy, lily scent cascaded in fluid torrents on to the entrant. Now its creamy petals have become leaf litter, their welcoming scent superseded by a dog rose sprinkled with delicate pink blooms releasing wafts of fragrance into the morning air.
This was once a parkland-like wood pasture, and the original trees are scattered through the wood, their broad and low umbelliferous canopies contrasting with the upward thrust of the younger ashes and oaks released when grazing ceased 100 years ago. The southern half of the wood has dense lumpy thickets of blackthorn scrub, from which nightingales broadcast their whipped and warbling fanfare.This was once a parkland-like wood pasture, and the original trees are scattered through the wood, their broad and low umbelliferous canopies contrasting with the upward thrust of the younger ashes and oaks released when grazing ceased 100 years ago. The southern half of the wood has dense lumpy thickets of blackthorn scrub, from which nightingales broadcast their whipped and warbling fanfare.
There is another star species thriving on the blackthorn – the black hairstreak butterfly. Today, about 50 hopeful enthusiasts are on a Butterfly Conservation field trip, wandering the paths and congregating in the sunlit openings, where eyes scan the surrounding blackthorn bushes, searching for the flutter of grey-brown wings. Here patches of bramble edge the path and the flutterer descends on to a leaf, where its image is captured by the throng. There is another star species thriving on the blackthorn – the black hairstreak butterfly. Today, about 50 hopeful enthusiasts are on a Butterfly Conservation field trip, wandering the paths and congregating in the sunlit openings, where eyes scan the surrounding blackthorn bushes, searching for the flutter of grey-brown wings. Here patches of bramble edge the path and the flutterer descends on to a leaf, where its image is captured by the throng.
The black hairstreak is a moderately sized butterfly that always rests with its wings tightly shut. The dusty ochre underwings carry a thin white stripe and the hind wing is bordered with a bright orange band speckled with pairs of black spots and sports a little wisp of a tail.The black hairstreak is a moderately sized butterfly that always rests with its wings tightly shut. The dusty ochre underwings carry a thin white stripe and the hind wing is bordered with a bright orange band speckled with pairs of black spots and sports a little wisp of a tail.
The black hairstreak has always been a rare butterfly, found only in blackthorn-endowed woods between Peterborough and Oxford. It does not colonise new sites very readily, and indeed new blackthorn scrub is itself a rare event. Therefore this Wildlife Trust nature reserve has become one of the most famous haunts of the butterfly. Scrub is a wonderful, bug-rich, habitat, particularly when mixed with a patchwork of grassland and mature trees, but it takes effort to maintain, and unless periodically cut down, it evolves into high forest.The black hairstreak has always been a rare butterfly, found only in blackthorn-endowed woods between Peterborough and Oxford. It does not colonise new sites very readily, and indeed new blackthorn scrub is itself a rare event. Therefore this Wildlife Trust nature reserve has become one of the most famous haunts of the butterfly. Scrub is a wonderful, bug-rich, habitat, particularly when mixed with a patchwork of grassland and mature trees, but it takes effort to maintain, and unless periodically cut down, it evolves into high forest.
• This article was amended on 26 August 2015 to correct the photographer’s credit.