White-letter Hairstreak Recording Project

Welcome to the home page of the White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album) Recording Project

The White-letter Hairstreak butterfly is a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plans, due to population declines picked up by the British Monitoring Scheme (BMS). However, this is a small and somewhat elusive arboreal species that can be quite difficult to monitor effectively when using the standard transect recording method.

The experience of some recorders is that the White-letter Hairstreak is often more common than is generally appreciated, and it is hoped that this project will confirm whether this distribution and population strength is repeated across the species' range.

Given an adequate level of targetted surveying for both elms and White-letter Hairstreaks in a number of random sample areas, the project aims to provide enough information to create a reasonable model for estimating the likely spatial distribution and occurrence of White-letter Hairstreaks at a landscape level. The project also hopes to establish the likely present range of the species, and to what degree elms may be used as a proxy for White-letter Hairstreak distribution.

We would like the project to enthuse observers from all parts of the country, whether you are a White-letter Hairstreak expert or not, and that participation will be enjoyable, rewarding and widespread. To find out more click here................

Although the three year project period has ended, we would still hope that people will continue to look in the priority areas in 2010. We got close to many edge of range targets and we would still like to get closer. In the meantime we would like to thank everyone that has contributed. Plans to post interim results on this website have stalled but we will be writing up our work.

Please follow the links and learn more about this elusive butterfly and how you can also find it!