Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

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Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)


Photo © Peter Eeles
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyTheclinae
GenusCallophrys
Speciesrubi
Authority(Linnaeus, 1758)
English NameGreen Hairstreak
European Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2010Least Concern (LC)
European Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2025Least Concern (LC)
Habitats Directive
Bern Convention
CITES
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Description

The Green Hairstreak can be found on poor grassland, heathland and at the edges of bogs and marshes. The butterflies like resting in trees and shrubs, such as Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), where they are well hidden by their green colour. However, a sharp tap on a branch brings tens of them out into the air. The Green Hairstreak is extremely polyphagous. The eggs are laid on a variety of plants, including Heather (Erica spp.), rockroses (Helianthemum spp.), and Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), leguminous plants and species of Rosaceae. The caterpillars feed on the buds, flowers and young leaves. They pupate in the litter layer and the pupa hibernates. The Green Hairstreak is single-brooded.

Distribution

Albania / Andorra / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Flanders / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark / Estonia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / France: Corsica / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Greece: East Aegean Islands / Hungary / Ireland / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Italy: Sardinia / Italy: Sicily / Latvia / Liechtenstein / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Malta (Irregular Vagrant) / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands / Norway / Poland / Portugal / Portugal: Mainland / Romania / European Russia / San Marino / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Spain: Balearic Islands / Spain: Sp. North African Territories / Sweden / Switzerland / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United Kingdom: Great Britain / United Kingdom: Northern Ireland / United Kingdom: Guernsey / United Kingdom: Jersey /

Larval Foodplants

#OrderFamilyGenusSpeciesVernacular NameLink
1AquifolialesAquifoliaceaeIlexaquifoliumHolly
2CaryophyllalesPolygonaceaeRumexDocks
3CornalesCornaceaeCornussanguineaDogwood
4DipsacalesViburnaceaeViburnumlantanaWayfaring-tree
5EricalesEricaceaeEmpetrumnigrumCrowberry
6EricalesEricaceaeEricaHeaths
7EricalesEricaceaeEricatetralixCross-leaved Heath
8EricalesEricaceaeRhododendrontomentosum
9EricalesEricaceaeVacciniummyrtillusBilberry
10EricalesEricaceaeVacciniumoxycoccosCranberry
11EricalesEricaceaeVacciniumuliginosumBog Bilberry
12EricalesEricaceaeVacciniumvitis-idaeaCowberry
13FabalesFabaceaeAmorphafruticosa
14FabalesFabaceaeAnthyllisvulnerariaKidney Vetch
15FabalesFabaceaeCalicotomespinosa
16FabalesFabaceaeChamaecytisus
17FabalesFabaceaeChamaecytisusaustriacus
18FabalesFabaceaeChamaecytisuselongatus
19FabalesFabaceaeChamaecytisushirsutus
20FabalesFabaceaeChamaecytisussupinus
21FabalesFabaceaeCoronillaminima
22FabalesFabaceaeCytisusnigricansBlack Broom
23FabalesFabaceaeCytisusscopariusBroom
24FabalesFabaceaeEchinospartumhorridum
25FabalesFabaceaeGenistaacanthoclada
26FabalesFabaceaeGenistaanglicaPetty Whin
27FabalesFabaceaeGenistacinerea
28FabalesFabaceaeGenistagermanica
29FabalesFabaceaeGenistapilosaHairy Greenweed
30FabalesFabaceaeGenistasagittalis
31FabalesFabaceaeGenistascorpius
32FabalesFabaceaeGenistatinctoriaDyer's Greenweed
33FabalesFabaceaeLaburnumanagyroidesLaburnum
34FabalesFabaceaeLebeckiasepiaria
35FabalesFabaceaeLotusBird's-foot-trefoils
36FabalesFabaceaeLotuscorniculatusCommon Bird's-foot-trefoil
37FabalesFabaceaeLotusdorycnium
38FabalesFabaceaeLotushirsutusHairy Canary-clover
39FabalesFabaceaeLotuspedunculatus ssp. pedunculatus
40FabalesFabaceaeMedicago x variaMedicks
41FabalesFabaceaeMedicagolupulinaBlack Medick
42FabalesFabaceaeMedicagosativaLucerne (see ssp.)
43FabalesFabaceaeOnobrychishumilis
44FabalesFabaceaeOnobrychismontana
45FabalesFabaceaeOnobrychissaxatilis
46FabalesFabaceaeOnobrychissupina
47FabalesFabaceaeOnobrychisviciifoliaSainfoin
48FabalesFabaceaeOnonisstriata
49FabalesFabaceaeOxytropispilosa
50FabalesFabaceaeSpartiumjunceumSpanish Broom
51FabalesFabaceaeTrifoliumClovers
52FabalesFabaceaeUlexeuropaeusGorse
53FabalesFabaceaeUlexminorDwarf Gorse
54FabalesFabaceaeViciacraccaTufted Vetch
55FagalesBetulaceaeBetulapendulaSilver Birch
56LamialesLamiaceaeTeucriumchamaedrysWall Germander
57MalvalesCistaceaeCistusalbidus
58MalvalesCistaceaeCistusmonspeliensis
59MalvalesCistaceaeCistussalviifolius
60MalvalesCistaceaeHelianthemumRock-roses
61MalvalesCistaceaeHelianthemumnummulariumCommon Rock-rose
62MalvalesCistaceaeHelianthemumnummularium ssp. nummularium
63MalvalesCistaceaeHelianthemumnummularium ssp. obscurum
64RosalesRhamnaceaeFrangulaalnusAlder Buckthorn
65RosalesRhamnaceaeRhamnuscatharticaBuckthorn
66RosalesRhamnaceaeRhamnuslycioides
67RosalesRosaceaeDryasoctopetalaMountain Avens
68RosalesRosaceaeFragariaStrawberries
69RosalesRosaceaeRubusBrambles
70RosalesRosaceaeRubusBrambles
71RosalesRosaceaeRubusfruticosusBramble (agg.)
72RosalesRosaceaeRubusidaeusRaspberry

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