White-letter hairstreak

I have been looking out for this butterfly for the past few weeks.  The best place to see it locally is in the car park outside the local nature reserve about a mile or so from here.  Elm is its only larval food plant so it suffered badly when Dutch elm disease spread across the country 40 years ago.  It survives on wych elm and fortunately there are two trees overhanging where visitors park their cars.

The butterflies spend most of their time high in the trees.  I think this is a female who ventured lower to find a place to lay her eggs.

The white letter in its name is W, hence Satyrium w-album.  The wing is in shadow here but it shows the W well.

The flight period only extends to early August so this brief sighting three days ago may have been my last chance until next year.