Another late Brown Hairstreak sighting in S W Wales......further to Thursday's post, yesterday, I came across another female (in fairly fresh condition) flying below us on a habitat hotspot in Cwm Hiraeth, near Newcastle Emlyn in NW Carmasrthenshire - Teifi valley, where the species still thrives, largely due to high concentration of small holdings and low penetration of modern agriculture.

Anyone, who can contribute to other request on Thursday re growing blackthorn from seed, please share with us.

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Whilst working out a coppicing plan, I disturbed a Brown Hairstreak this afternoon in a deep valley in a field of one of our few remaining southern Carmarthenshire sites. We've apparently gone from 56 sites in 2006 within 15kms of Carmarthen, down to just 6 still occupied. This includes one large site, part of which we manage.

On a related matter, although coppicing to regenerate via suckering is our main tool, the owner of one of the managed sites also wants to grow his own Blackthorn from seed (sloes) in his own tree nursery, so that they can be planted out into new hedges, and is asking for any tips on germination, growing etc. Does anyone have or can point me to suitable experience/advice please. Thanks.

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