Brown

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus)

A common and widespread butterfly found throughout most parts of England, Wales, Ireland and the southern counties of Scotland

Ringlet Butterflies can be seen from late June through to the end of August, in habitats such as damp Woodland rides, Hedgerows and Meadows, often in sunny sheltered areas with dappled shade, and tall grasses.

The under-wings are a mid brown with a number of distinctive small circular eye spots. The upper-wings are dark brown with a white fringe.

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings open on Bramble leaf.

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings open

Ringlet Butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings closed showing under-side

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) with wings closed showing under-side

Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae, Browns
Habitat: Grassy, sheltered areas, with some dappled shade such as woodland clearings and rides
Wingspan: Around 48mm.
Adult Butterflies feed on: Wild Marjoram, Thistles, Common Ragwort, Bramble Flowers, Cow Parsley
Caterpillars feed on: Grasses like Cocksfoot and Couch.
Photographed: 29 June 2010.
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes.

Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)

Habitat

A regular visitor to the gardens, the Red Admiral may be seen throughout the British Isles, often attracted in numbers by nectar rich flowers such as Buddleia and Rudbekia around July to August.

Out of the Garden, a sunny sheltered spot with flowering Ivy or Hemp Agrimony, may also attract Red Admiral butterflies, although they are rarely seen in numbers before June.

They may even still be seen on the wing till late October – November on sunny days if a nectar source is still available.

Description

With a large 60mm wingspan the Red Admiral is a strong flying butterfly, able to glide and manoeuvre after a small number of quick wing beats. The mainly black or brown colouration, broad red bands and white spots on the fore-wings and broad red band on the hind-wings make it easy to identify. The under-wings are a mottled black-brown .

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) wings closed on Ivy flowers

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) on Ivy flower

Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)

The Red Admiral is seen as a migrant butterfly from Europe, arriving in Britain and Ireland from May-June. It is believed that with the milder winters of recent years, some are managing to hibernate during short cold periods, creating a resident population mainly across the south of England.

Quick Information

Family Group: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Status: Migrant
Caterpillar food plant: Common Nettles.
Adults nectar plants: Buddleia (davidii), Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Wingspan: around 60mm

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais urticae)

Seen as one of our commonest and successful garden butterflies, the small Tortoiseshell is widespread, and may be seen across all parts of Britain and Ireland, often around patches of nettles or nectaring on wild flowers like, Dandelion, Thistles, Marjoram, Ragwort, and Buddleia in late summer.

Usually seen from March through to October, the butterflies emerge from two broods in a year, the first is in June and the second, August to September, some of the adult butterflies from the later brood hibernate, appearing again on sunny days in early Spring.

In the last few years, the pretty Small Tortoiseshell butterfly has unfortunately seen a massive decline in numbers, the cause of the falling numbers is not yet completely known, although changes in weather patterns are not being ruled out.

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (aglais urticae) wings-closed on Buddleia

Small Tortoiseshell (aglais urticae) wings-closed on Buddleia

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (aglais urticae) in urban garden on white Buddleia

Small Tortoiseshell (aglais urticae) on white Buddleia

2013 was a good year for the small Tortoiseshell with a good number of sighting across the country. After a mild winter 2013-2014 it seems a good few made it through winter hibernation. I have seen more this March and April than in previous years at this time.

Quick Info

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
Family Group: Browns – Nymphalidae
Upper-wings: are a rich, orange with black spots on the front edge of the fore wings, Blue crescents sit in a Black margin around the fringes of the hind wings.
Under-wings: are Dark Brown – Black.
Wingspan: Approx 42mm
Caterpillars only feed on: Common Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica ).
Nectar plants: Thistles (various), Hemp Agrimomy (Eupatorium cannabinum), Buddleia, Verbena (verbena bonariensis), Grape Hyacinth (Muscari), Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), Red valerian (Centranthus ruber)
Photograph: Above – Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) feeding on White Buddleia (davidii) – August 09. Right – August 2010.

Gatekeeper Butterfly (Pyronia tithonus)

A pretty orange and brown butterfly, the Gatekeeper is widespread and common across central and southern counties of the England and Wales, often seen in mid-summer basking in hedgerows in the warm summer sunshine, or feeding on nectar from Bramble Flowers, Wild Marjoram or Common Ragwort, although it will feed from many other plants as well.

Gatekeeper Butterfly on Gorse Bush, Kelling Heath, Norfolk

Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae (Browns)
Also Known as: The Hedge Brown.
Habitat: Rough grassy places, Hedgerows, Woodland tracks, Heaths, Gardens and others.
Wingspan: Around 40mm, although the Female is larger than the Male.
Caterpillars feed on: Various grasses in May
Adult Butterflies nectar on: Bramble flowers, wild marjoram, Wood sage, Common Ragwort and others
Photo Location: Barnack NNR, Kelling Heath, Norfolk, My Garden
Photographed: 17th July 2010, above 27th July 2012

Gatekeeper Butterfly, Small Orange and Brown British Butterfly

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) Male – basking in sunshine

Adult Butterflies emerge July – August from just a single brood a season, each colony can vary greatly in size, depending on habitat and location.

The Gatekeeper is often found on rough grassland often close to hedgerows or groups of shrubs, such as woodland paths, Road-sides, Heaths and in Gardens,

The upper-wings are a mainly orange with brown margins on the fore and hind wings with circular eye spots on the fore-wings. The Male is easy to tell apart from the female by the sex brands separating the orange on the fore-wings.

Gatekeeper Butterfly (Pyronia tithonus) Female

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) Female

Purple Emperor Butterfly (Apatura iris)

A large and rare British butterfly the Purple Emperor is found mainly in mature broad-leaf and oak woodlands, in southern counties of Britain.

They may be seen on the wing from July – August, although both sexes spend most of their time flying amongst the tree tops, feeding on aphid honeydew, but on occasions the males may head down to the ground to take in salts from, the soil, animal dung or carrion.

Both male and female Purple Emperors have brown upper wings with a single white stripe, and a single dot on the hind wings, but only the male butterflies have the distinctive purple sheen across the wings.

Purple Emperor Butterfly on the ground showing underwings

Purple Emperor Butterfly taking minerals while resting on the ground

Male Purple Emperor Butterfly

Quick Info

Name: Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)
Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns
wingspan: 65mm.
Time to see: July – August
Larval Food Plant: Sallow.
Adults feed mainly on: Aphid Honeydew
Photographed: July 11th 2011 Fermyn Wood, Northamptonshire

White Admiral Butterfly (Limenitis camilla)

The White Admiral a truly distinctive large woodland butterfly and a superb flyer.

The upper-wings are black or dark brown in colour, depending on the light, with broad white bands and two rows of black dots, along the edge of the hind-wing.

The under-wings are striking in colour, are a rich orange/brown with the same white stripe as the upper wings the body is a light blue gray.

Where

Mainly Southern and Central areas of England (Dorset, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire)

White Admiral Butterfly -underside on brambles

White Admiral Butterfly (Limenitis camilla)

White Admiral Butterfly on Bramble Flowers

Habitat

The White Admiral prefers mature woodland, in both deciduous and mixed deciduous woodland, with rides and open areas of dappled shade, that allow the growth of brambles for nectaring adult butterflies.

Information

Name: White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)
Family Group: Browns – Nymphalidae.
When: June – August
Size: 50mm
Main Larval Food Plant: Only Honeysuckle see Common Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
Adults nectar on: Mainly on Bramble Flowers.
Population Status: The White Admiral is a Priority Species for conservation due to habitat loss.
Photographed: June 26th 2011 – Fermyn Wood, Northamptonshire.

Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

The Small Heath is a widespread butterfly, it can often be found in many open areas such as meadows, railway embankments, heaths and other rough grassy places across the British Isles. It is also the smallest of the ‘brown’ group of Butterflies found in the Britain.

Small heath butterflies are well camouflaged in the grassy places where they are found, always resting with wings closed tilted towards the sun on a warm patch of ground or low down on grass stems. Easily disturbed they will often fly low to the ground, always landing with wings closed they may also tuck down the orange fore-wing if danger is close.

Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns.
Wingspan around: 30mm.
Habitat: Meadows, Disused quarries, embankments, Waste ground, Hills and downs.
Adult Nectar Plant: Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Buttercups. (others will be added).
Photographed: June 16 2010.
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes (NNR)

Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Small Heath butterflies are double-brooded and can seen flying in greater numbers May-June and August-September, the caterpillars feed on grasses.

The under-side of the wings are always seen when landed, the fore-wing is most noticeable, being mainly orange with a prominent eye spot and a grey margin, the hind-wing is mainly brown with a grey margin . The upper-side of the wings are rarely seen except in flight and are orange-brown with grey margins with a small eye spot on the wing tips.