It was very windy, and the butterflies were sitting it out on this plum tree – so no purple wings were actually seen, but the underwings are definitely Purple Hairstreak! This is a butterfly that is reliant on Oak Trees (the second part of it’s name ‘quercus’ is the Latin word for oak) and we have a very beautiful and ancient oak on our allotment site which is presumably where these beauties came from.

Our magnificent ancient oak (with potato plants growing in a raised bed in the foreground).