Brown Hairstreak Butterfly (Thecla betulae)

After three days of exhaustive searching for this beautiful and elusive butterfly, I was on the way home through another woodland area, when this wonderful butterfly flew right past me and landed on a leaf close by, far removed from where I had hoped to find one.

I think that made it extra special. Plus of course, this is a butterfly which has suffered appalling losses due to inappropriate management of our hedgerows, and therefore has become rarer in recent decades.

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