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Insects and Spiders - Butterflies 1
This butterflies food plant is predominantly Bird's foot trefoil. Can you identify it?

Insects and Spiders - Butterflies 1

Butterflies are one of our prettiest insects with their colourful and delicate wings. It is a popular belief that butterflies have very short life spans. However, depending on the species, adult butterflies can live from between a week to nearly a year.

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1 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of Svdmolen
Large Heath
Chequered Skipper
Small Copper
Orange Tip
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Hesperiidae
  • Genus: Carterocephalus
  • Species: C. palaemon
  • Extinct in England, but stable in Scotland.
  • Distribution centred on Fort William.
  • Due to being very active, this butterfly needs a lot of nectar and sunshine.
  • Prefers woodland and even blue woodland flowers!
2 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of Guido Gerding
Orange Tip
Small Copper
White Admiral
Purple Hairstreak
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Pieridae
  • Genus: Anthocharis
  • Species: A. cardamines
  • A true sign of spring, being one of the first species to emerge.
  • Flies in every direction, wandering amongst woodland margins and headgerows.
  • Has a wide range of habitats, including gardens.
3 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of www.tintazul.com.pt/julio.reis/
Dingy Skipper
Marsh Fritillary
Small White
Green Hairstreak
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Nymphalidae
  • Genus: Euphydryas
  • Species: E. aurinia
  • Found all over the UK, but scarce.
  • Restricted to chalk and limestone grassland, damp fields and heaths.
  • Main foodplant is Devil's-bit Scabious. Will eat Field and Small scabious too.
  • The bright colours fade after a few days.
4 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of LittleHow
Essex Skipper
Common Blue
Wood White
Swallowtail
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Papilionidae
  • Genus: Papilio
  • Species: P. machaon
  • The UK's largest native butterfly, and also one of our rarest.
  • British subspecies confined to the fens of the Norfolk broads.
  • This is due to milk parsley being the only food plant used by the caterpillars.
5 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of Olaf Leillinger
Wood White
Speckled Wood
Dark Clouded Yellow
Ringlet
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Nymphalidae
  • Genus: Aphantopus
  • Species: A. hyperantus
  • Being a dark colour, this butterfly is able to warm up quickly.
  • One of the few that flies on overcast days.
  • Is not typically found in open areas, such as grassland or heathland.
  • Male and female are almost identical.
6 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of D. Gordon E. Robertson
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Red Admiral
Essex Skipper
Grayling
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Hesperiidae
  • Genus: Thymelicus
  • Species: T. lineola
  • Found over much of south England.
  • First recorded in Wales in 2000.
  • Can be spotted visiting flowers such as thistles and red clover.
  • This species is expanding rapidly, particularly in northern areas.
7 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of Olaf Leillinger
Chequered Skipper
White Admiral
Wood White
Common Brimstone
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Pieridae
  • Genus: Leptidea
  • Species: L. sinapis
  • A dainty butterfly with a slow and delicate flight.
  • Adults always rest with their wings closed.
  • Warm, damp and sheltered is its ideal habitat.
  • Female lays her eggs on members of the pea family in late May and June.
8 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of http://ernstvikne.wordpress.com/
Common Brimstone
Chequered Skipper
Holly Blue
Common Blue
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Lycaenidae
  • Genus: Polyommatus
  • Species: P. icarus
  • Is found throughout Britain, even as far north as Orkney.
  • Food plant is predominantly Bird's foot trefoil.
  • The habitat includes woodland, coastal dunes, meadows.
  • Wherever their food plant is, this butterfly is likely to be.
9 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of Anaxibia
Purple Emperor
Ringlet
Duke of Burgundy
Essex Skipper
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Nymphalidae
  • Genus: Apatura
  • Species: A. iris
  • The male is affectionately known as 'His Majesty'.
  • A magnificent and elusive butterfly.
  • Can be seen in deciduous woodland, usually those containing oak trees.
  • Unlike most butterflies, it does not feed from flowers.
10 .
Can you identify this butterfly?
Photograph courtesy of http://www.thinkoholic.com/
Northern Brown Angus
Duke of Burgundy
Small Tortoiseshell
Purple Emperor
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Riodinidae
  • Genus: Hamearis
  • Species: H. lucina
  • Found in scattered colonies across southern England.
  • Adults rarely visit flowers.
  • Males perch on a prominent leaf at the edge of scrub.
  • Females are elusive, often flying low to the ground.
Author:  Sarah Garratty

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