---
title: "Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) · Rampant Scotland"
description: "Graphic via Wikimedia This small butterfly (wingspan is only 2.5 centimetres) is often missed because of its size and because of its green colour providing camo"
canonical: "https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/butterflies/butterfly_green_hairstreak.htm"
last-updated: "2026-11-11"
date-basis: "git-content-change"
---

# Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) · Rampant Scotland

Butterflies of Scotland

# Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

[Original page](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710065921/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/butterfly_green_hairstreak.htm)

Restored from the raw archived page capture: original scripts, advertisements and shared site navigation removed. Original wording, photographs and layout order preserved.

Green Hairstreak Butterfly
Graphic via [Wikimedia](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

>

This small butterfly (wingspan is only 2.5 centimetres) is often missed because of its size and because of its green colour providing camouflage amongst trees. Admittedly, the green undersides are a vivid iridescent metallic green - which are often edged in tan brown, with white spots forming a feint white 'streak' on the hind wings. The extent of the white marking is highly variable and on some individuals almost absent. The upper sides of its wings are brown, but this is rarely seen since the Green Hairstreak always closes its wings when not in flight.

Its flight is rapid and jerky making it difficult to follow. Females are more often seen when searching for larval food plants upon which to lay their single pale green eggs. The green and yellow larvae drop to the ground to pupate in late summer and overwinter as a pupae with the Adult butterflies emerging in late spring.

The Green Hairstreak is found on scrubby grassland, woodland clearings, heathland moorland, bogs, old quarries and railway cuttings. Although Green Hairstreak is found in many areas, it often occurs in small colonies. In Scotland it is in flight from April to June and survives for only about two weeks.

**Return to the Butterfly [Index](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710065921/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/index.htm)

or go to the next Butterfly: [Green-veined White](https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/butterflies/butterfly_green-veined.htm)**.

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## Source

From Rampant Scotland, restored from the page as it stood on 10 July 2020. [Original page](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710065921/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/butterfly_green_hairstreak.htm).

Links to pages not yet restored here lead to the original page or elsewhere on the web; 1 of 3 links on this page are restored on this site.