Brown hairstreak butterflies have laid record numbers of eggs in parts of south Wales after hedgerows were protected from annual “flailing” cuts that destroyed a key habitat for them, Butterfly Conservation said. Brown hairstreak egg hunt has revealed record number of eggs (Paul Taylor/PA)The brown hairstreak was once much more common across the UK, but has seen numbers fall significantly as a result of farmers and landowners removing hedgerows and “flailing” to cut hedge growth back, Butterfly Conservation said. The butterfly will only lay its eggs on young shoots of blackthorn – a common bush in hedgerows, which are destroyed by flailing. But work with two partners – the National Trust and the South Wales Trunk Road Agent – saw both organisations reduce the amount they cut back their hedgerows, allowing for record numbers of the rare butterfly’s eggs to survive. “The simple message for brown hairstreaks is that cutting hedges less often is better.

Source: The Herald February 03, 2026 18:07 UTC