The emergence of the first hatchlings of the spring was celebrated in style in Worcestershire with the launch of the world's first Hairstreak Jelly. I perhaps quickly need to add that no Brown Hairstreaks were harmed in the making of this product. Hairstreak Jelly is in fact a very delicious jam made out of sloes picked by volunteers from West Midlands Butterfly Conservation and we hope a rather novel way of getting across to the wider community the importance of not cutting hedges every year. If hedges are flailed on rotation rather than annually not only do we get more Brown Hairstreaks, farmers save money and we get more sloes to enjoy so really a win win all round.
The Jelly has been produced in association with the Wayside Farm Shop at Wickhamford near Evesham and is on sale in the shop (www.waysidefarmshop.co.uk) and at events attended by West Midlands Butterfly Conservation. Each jar has a Hedgerows for Hairstreaks sticker on the lid plus a tie-on label with a Brown Hairstreak photo on the front (courtesy of Simon Primrose) and a conservation message on the reverse. If successful we hope that we can produce more Hairstreak Jelly next year and perhaps make it available more widely. It certainly tastes good!
The Jelly has been produced in association with the Wayside Farm Shop at Wickhamford near Evesham and is on sale in the shop (www.waysidefarmshop.co.uk) and at events attended by West Midlands Butterfly Conservation. Each jar has a Hedgerows for Hairstreaks sticker on the lid plus a tie-on label with a Brown Hairstreak photo on the front (courtesy of Simon Primrose) and a conservation message on the reverse. If successful we hope that we can produce more Hairstreak Jelly next year and perhaps make it available more widely. It certainly tastes good!
