Brown Hairstreak egg

Yesterday evening I saw a report on the Sussex Butterfly Conservation web page that someone had found Brown Hairstreak eggs in Markstakes Lane. That is the lane which runs right past the start of my butterfly transect. So, much anticipation this morning as I set off to find them for myself. Less than a millimetre in diameter these wonderfully intricate white eggs are invariably laid on blackthorn especially at the junction between new growth and old. Seen close up they resemble tiny little sea urchins. Delighted to say that I did find some, although it took a lot of searching and some pretty odd looks from passing motorists. I've found brown hairstreak eggs before, but what is exciting this time is that  we are in East Sussex where they have hardly ever been recorded. The adults usually spend their time in the tops of ash trees, descending just to lay eggs. And the nearest ash trees are .... in the first section of my transect.