Rare black hairstreak butterfly discovery in Surrey drives conservation research
By
Hsin-Yi Lo
Summary
Gareth Tilley discovered the elusive black hairstreak butterfly in Surrey, a finding initially dismissed by locals as a one-off illegal release. Working with Butterfly Conservation, the local council, and the University of Sussex, Tilley confirmed the species does live in Surrey. The breakthrough came when he learned that some US caterpillars glow under UV light, leading him to use a UV torch in May 2022 to locate the notoriously difficult-to-monitor caterpillars, which camouflage as leaves, bird droppings, and stay high in trees.
Source
bskyRare black hairstreak butterfly discovery in Surrey drives conservation researchbbc.co.ukKey quotes
· 4 pulledTilley said when he told locals, some believed it was a one-off illegal release.
Tilley said the species is "notoriously difficult" to monitor.
"The caterpillars look like leaves, the chrysalis like bird droppings, and the adults stay high in trees," he explained.
"I was sceptical it would [work],"
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