butterflies

Meadow Brown Butterfly (Maniola-jurtina)

The Meadow Brown butterfly is probably one of the most common and widespread of all butterflies, seen throughout the UK. On the wing from June – September, it can often be found in many different types of grassy habitat such as, open woodland rides, roadside verges, meadows and even gardens.

This butterflies upper-wings are dark brown with a black eye spot and a band or light orange patch on the fore-wings, these markings are far less prominent on the male which also has a slightly smaller eye-spot.

Meadow Brown Butterfly (Maniola-jurtina) – Female wings open showing upper-side

Quick Info

Name: Meadow Brown (Maniola-jurtina)
Family Group: Nymphalidae, Browns.
When: June to September
Habitat: All kinds of rough grassy places, Meadows, woodland rides, Roadsides Verges, gardens
Wingspan: around 50mm
Adult butterflies feed on: Thistles, Bramble flowers, Knapweed, Common Ragwort, Wild Marjoram, Lavender, Coneflowers (Rudbeckia), Buddleia.
Caterpillars feed on: Cock’s foot and other various grasses.
Photographed – 13th June 2010 – 27th June 2012
Location – South Lincolnshire

Meadow Brown Butterfly (Maniola-jurtina) Wings Closed

The underside of the fore-wing is mainly orange with a black eye-spot while the hind-wing is mottled brown.

During cool weather or as the temperature falls towards sunset, the Meadow Brown will climb down and rest amongst the lower stems of tall grasses.

If disturbed before dusk they will often take flight and may flutter some distance before finding a suitable place to rest again.

Meadow Brown Butterfly – Male

Green veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi)

about

A widespread and common butterfly, the green veined white can be found throughout the UK, similar in size and appearance to the Small White but with noticeable green veined markings on the under-wings.

Green-veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) – Female on yellow Ragwort Flower

The Green-veined white butterfly can be seen flying from early May-September emerging in as many as three broods during the year. The green veined markings on the under-wings darken with every new brood throughout the year, turning from green to dark grey.

Green-veined White Female

Green veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) male

The females are more easily recognised from the males, during the summer months when the wings are closed, by the cream coloured tips on the fore-wings and cream hind-wing.

Its many habitats include Meadows, Woodland Rides, Urban Gardens, Parks and Hedgerows.

Quick Info

Name: Green veined White (Pieris napi)
Family Group: Pierinae – Whites.
Habitat: sunny areas in Meadows, Woodland Rides, Gardens, Hedgerows, Parks and urban Areas.
Wingspan: Approx 45-50mm
Photographed : 22nd April /10 July
Adults seen feeding on wildflowers like: Greater Knapweed, Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), Daisies, Lesser celandine, Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Cranesbill
Location: South Lincolnshire

Scabious – Flowers that Attract Butterflies and Bees

about

Well known as a native wildflower, Scabious with its range of cultivated varieties and colours also makes it a traditional garden favourite. Its constant flowering throughout the summer months, makes it the perfect plant for when little else is flowering, such as in late July.

Scabious is a great choice for any wildlife garden, or meadow, its steady supply of nectar rich flowers will attract pollinating insects, like Butterflies and Bees.

Native Varieties

Wild native varieties like the common “Field Scabious” (Knutia arvensis) or the less common “Small Scabious” (Scabosa columbaria) can be found throughout England and Wales, flowering June-September they may be found on dry calcareous (lime or Chalk) grassland. Similar looking the two sometimes confused. Devil’s-Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) has smaller rounded flowers around 15-25mm across and is found in much damper conditions, than the Field or Small Scabious.

Field Scabious flower head

Scabious Information

Also Known As: Pincushion flower
Light: Full sun or partial shade
Sow seeds: February, March, April, May, June
Flowering: May – September or until the first frost
Height: Around 50-60cm
Soil: Well drained Lime-Chalk /Alkaline.

Well known varieties

Two of the most well known varieties are possibly Scabious ‘Blue Jeans’ and Scabious ‘Butterfly Blue’, their abundance of flowers throughout the summer makes these real garden favourites.

These and many more colours and varieties of Scabious are available Visit “Thompson & Morgan” here, to take a look

Scabious “Butterfly Blue Beauty”

General Plant care

New Scabious plants when large enough can be put out from April in a frost free position, always allow about a week for them to acclimatise and the risk of frost has passed before planting out 30-40 cm apart, varieties with large blooms may need light support if the weather is particularly wet or windy. Remove dead flowers (dead heading) during the growing season every week or so, new blooms will soon take their place.

In Autumn or when the Scabious plants have turned brown and died back they can be cut down to ground level, this can also be done in the spring, when plants can be propagated by division.

Propagation

To keep a stock of healthy plants, Scabious requires some propagation this is best done March-April by root division, this requires lifting and dividing young plants into one or two divisions and replanting, or replacing the older less vagarious growing plants.

Field Scabious in Meadow

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly (Argynnis paphia)

A bright orange butterfly, found mainly in open woodland across the south and south west of the UK, in areas where it’s primary larval food Plant the Common Dog-Violet (viola riviniana) grows, although recent observations suggest colonies are moving Northwards.

Seen from mid June-August, the male silver-washed fritillaries are often first to appear, around a week before the females, adult butterflies spend some time in the tree tops sunning and feeding on honeydew from aphids, although during spells of warm weather they will often descend to warm sunny areas to nectar on Bramble flowers, Knapweed, wild marjoram quickly moving from flower to flower.

Silver-washed Fritillary – Female

Family Group: Nymphalidae
Wingspan around: 60mm
Larval Foodplant: Common-dog Violet (viola riviniana)
Adults Nectar on: Aphid Honeydew, Brambles, Knapweed, Wild Marjoram, Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Photographs of Male and Female, 14th-23rd June 2011, Bedford Purlieus.
Photograph of female under-wings August 2010

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly, Male on Brambles flowers

Silver-washed Fritillary (Male)

Getting it’s name from the distinctive silver streaks on the underside of the wings, the Silver-washed Fritillary is the largest of all the Fritillary species found here in the UK, it is also a strong fast flyer with a wingspan around 60mm. The male is bright orange with black or dark brown stripes and spots on the upper wings, the female is similar in size and markings although slightly duller in colour.

Silver-Wash Fritillary Butterfly - Female- Underwings

Underside of the wings

Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae)

A small rare butterfly, the Brown Hairstreak spends most of its time fluttering round high in the tree tops of a chosen Ash tree, often referred to as the Master Tree.

Most active on warm sunny days, both the male and female Butterflies may occasionally come down lower to nectar on bramble or other flowers, although the female is the most likely the one to seen close up, as she flies around to find a suitable site to lay her eggs.

Upper-wings are brown with orange patches on the fore-wings, under-wings orange/brown with two white lines or streaks.

Brown Hairstreak Butterfly female with wings open

Brown Hairstreak – female with wings open © Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2014

Population Status

The Brown Hairstreak is a priority species for conservation, due to continued habitat loss. The use of mechanical hedge cutting or flailing in late summer and Autumn damages hedgerows making them unsuitable for the female butterfly to lay her eggs, also cutting away previously laid eggs that will hatch in the following spring.

Brown Hairstreak on Blackthorn © Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2014

Quick Info

Family Group: Blues (Lycaenidae).
Habitat: Found along the edges or in open areas of woodland or hedgerows in areas where Blackthorn or sloe is found growing in abundance.
When: July to October.
Where: Localised mainly in Southern and Central England.
Size: Around 40mm.
Larval Food Plant: Only Blackthorn (prunus spinosa) and other prunus species.
Adult Nectar Plant: Aphid Honey dew found on Ash trees, Bramble
Photographed: 8th September 2012, Chambers Farm Wood, Lincolnshire

Small Copper Butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas)

Lively and brightly coloured, the Small Copper Butterfly can be found throughout the UK, apart from the far north of Scotland.The Small Copper Butterfly can be seen flying from May-September, they are usually found in open grassy areas such as, Meadows, Waste ground, Heathland and Woodland Rides, where they enjoy basking in warm sunshine, often on the heads of wildflowers or a bare patch of earth.

Upper-wings are Bright Copper or orange with black spotted markings with a dark brown fringe on the fore-wings .

Under-wings are similar to upper-wings but light brown instead of dark brown.

Small Copper Butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas)

Small Copper Butterfly

Information

Family Group: Lycaenidae – Blues.
Habitat: Meadows, Waste ground, Heathland and Woodland Rides.
On the wing: May-September
Wingspan: approx 25mm.
Larvae feed on: Common Sorrel.
Photographed: 17th July 2010.
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes NNR.

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.

Silver-Studded Blue Butterfly (Plebejus argus)

Description

The silver-studded blue is a small butterfly, similar in appearance although slightly smaller than the more regularly seen Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus).

The upper-wings of the male are purpleish/blue, with a border of black on the outer margins. The female is dark brown, with a dusting of blue scales, and orange spots around the margins of the wings.

Silver-studded blue butterflies are single brooded, emerging and on the wing in mid June, they form a close colony, most colonies contain just a few hundred adults, although in an area with plenty suitable habitat, there may be more than one colony.

Where

Localised but widespread the Silver-Studded Blue mainly found across the Southern counties of the UK, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cornwall, Devon and Wales.

Male Silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebejus argus) wings open

Male Silver-studded blue butterfly showing bright blue upper-wings

Male Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) seen mid June on Bell Heather

Seen mid June Silver-studded Blue on Heather

Quick Info: Silver-studded Blue

Name: Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
Family Group: Blues – Lycaenidae.
Habitat: Found mainly in warm areas on open sandy heaths or occasionally on grassland and coastal dunes in areas where Gorse, Ling and Bell heather are often found.
When: Beginning mid June, with numbers of individuals peaking around the end of June into July although this varies depending on the subspecies and colonies location.
Size around: 28-30mm
Larval Food Plant: Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Bell Heather (Ling) (Erica cinerea)
Adult Nectar Plant: Flowers like Bell heather, Birds-foot trefoil.
Population Status: A priority species for conservation although the overall population at this time is stable
Photographed: Kelling Heath, Norfolk

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

Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi)

A small green butterfly, widespread and distributed across most areas of the UK, it’s colouration and fast flight make the Green Hairstreak well camouflaged, and often difficult to spot, even in areas where it is locally found and numbers are known to be high.

Seen from April-June, Green Hairstreak butterflies are mostly only active, and give away their whereabouts during periods of warm sunshine. They may be found in a wide range of habitats such as, woodland clearings, meadows, heaths and on hillsides, forming localised colonies that often vary greatly in numbers.

On emerging the Butterflies will often seek a nectar source on plants and shrubs such as, Hawthorn, buttercups, Brambles, Crab-apple, Common-rock Rose, Gorse, Birds-foot Trefoil, Dogwood and Buckthorn and numerous others.

Green Hairstreak laying eggs on Birds-foot Trefoil

Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) resting on hawthorn shrub

Quick Info

Name: Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Family Group: Lycaenidae – Blues,Hairstreaks.
Where: Throughout the UK.
Habitat: Edges of Woodland, Hedgerows, Heaths, Moorland
When: Flying in largest numbers from May to early June.
Size: Wingspan around 32mm.
Larval Food Plant: Common Rock Rose (Halianthemum nummularium), Birds-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatas)
Adult Nectar Plant: Hawthorn, Bramble, Wild Privet, Dog Rose, Crab-apple,Broom
Population Status:
Photographed: 19th April 2011, Barnack Hills and Holes NNR. Left-25th May 2014

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