Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
2011 photos highlighted in green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 9718_sex?_Var_12Apr08 | 9902_sex?_Var_21Apr08 | 15187_sex?_Var_11May09 |
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| 19610_sex?_Var_15Apr10 | 20053_sex?_Var_10May10 |
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Rubi is a common early season butterfly, smaller than most hairstreaks. It tends to vary quite a lot in terms of the green colouration, from bluish to strongly yellowish (maybe partly due to ageing) and the white dots/lines (or lack of them). There seems to be virtually no visible difference between the sexes. |
The only species rubi could be confused with is Chapman's Green Hairstreak (Callophrys avis), a quite scarce and highly localised butterfly of the Mediterranean regions of France and Iberia. The principal differences between rubi and avis are described on the avis page. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 9718 | ? |
a strong basal blue flush and strong discal line on both wings. This is supposedly an indictor for avis, but my feeling, based on limited experience, is that the avis line is usually continuous. |
140 |
| 9902 | ? |
by contrast, a rather golden underside. |
220 |
| 15187 | ? |
possibly a male, based on hindwing shape. |
185 |
| 19610 | ? |
quite dark and virtually unmarked. |
160 |
| 20053 | ? |
by contrast, a very light bright green colour, also virtually unmarked. Probably a female based on the visible body shape. |
140 |
