Butterfly

Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae)

A Common UK resident butterfly seen almost everywhere, in a wide range of habitats, such as Gardens, Hedgerows, Meadows and Roadside Verges.The small white butterfly is double brooded, the adult butterflies emerge twice a year peaking in numbers in April – May and July – August.

The Small White is also known as the “Cabbage White” and shares this name with Large White Butterfly, the caterpillars of both butterflies, annoy many vegetable gardeners across the country.

Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) with open wings

Small White Butterfly-male- (Pieris rapae) with open wings

Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae)

The upper-wings of the male are white, with a grey tips whereas the female has two black dots on the fore-wings. The under-wings are pale yellow.

Quick Info

Family Group: Pieridae – whites
Wingspan: approx 45mm.
Larval food Plants: Brassicas inc Cabbage, Cauliflower, Field Mustard(Sinapis arvensis), Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Location: South Lincolnshire
Photographed: Top – 27th June 2011, Bottom – on a windy 3rd July 2010.

Barnack Hills and Holes, Butterflies and Rare Wildflowers

Where is Barnack?

Situated on the B1443 in the village of Barnack 4 miles south of Stamford Lincolnshire, Barnack Hills and Holes is a unique landscape managed as a nature reserve and a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

What Created the Hills and Holes?

It was created from the quarrying of limestone. The limestone taken from the site is known as Barnack rag and was formed from tiny sea creatures in the Jurassic period 150 million years ago.

Common Blue Butterfly – on Knapweed seed pod

Why is Barnack so unique?

Barnack’s unique Calcareous grassland supports over 300 varieties of wildflower which include 8 species of Wild Orchid.

The wild Pasque flower and the unusual Knapweed Broomrape, are just two of the more rare species to be found, as well as many slightly more common plants like cowslips, Violets, and a wide range of lime loving plants like Rock-rose, Wild Thyme and Ox-eye Daisy.

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) rare British wildflower

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) seen on the limestone grassland from April into May

When was the area Protected?

In 2002 the Hills and Holes became a Special Area for Conservation (SAC), to protect the wildlife, wild flowers and orchid rich grass land. The site is managed by Natural England who carefully maintain and improve the habitat in the reserve.

For more information visit

www.naturalengland.org.uk

View of Barnack Hills and Holes wildflowers

The hills that we see today are the heaps of rubble left behind when all the useful limestone had been removed and the site abandoned in the 1500s, over time these heaps have become covered in the grasses and wild flowers that we see today.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)

The rich flora supports a wide variety of insects, a number of which are nationally scarce, including several species of rare butterflies, the Chalkhill Blue, Marbled White, Brown Argus and Green Hairstreak, as well a some of the more well known ones such as the Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Common Blue Butterfly.

Knapweed Broomrape (Orobanche elatior)

Clouded Yellow Butterfly (Colias croceus)

As a migrant butterfly, the Clouded Yellow is reliant on favourable winds for its journey from the warmer countries in Europe for its arrival in the UK during later spring months. The number of butterflies that make the journey varies widely from year to year.

With continued good weather conditions, the off-spring of these new inhabitants, may add to other new arrivals later in the season. The number of butterflies often peak late August, they may appear just about anywhere in the country, often in open countryside habitats, on meadows, hills and downs.

The Clouded Yellow is a fast flying butterfly, mostly seen on warm sunny days, flying low to the ground, standing out in flight due to its bright orange inner wings, stopping occasionally to nectar on wildflowers like scabious and Hawkweeds while searching for potential mates.

Clouded Yellow Butterfly

During times of cloud cover the clouded yellow will often rest in a sheltered spot in long grass or find a bare patch of warm soil, tilting its wings towards the sun.

Quick Info: Clouded Yellow Butterfly

Name: Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)
Family Group: Pieridae
Wingspan: Around 40mm.
Habitat: Open Countryside, Meadows, Hills and Downs.
Nectar Plants: Scabious (Knautia arvensis), Dwarf Thistle (Cirsium acaulon), Hawkweeds (Hieracium spp.)
Larval food Plants: inc Lucerne (Medicago sativa), Birds-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and Various Clovers
Location: Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire.
Photographed: 11th August 2013.
Note: Thanks to Max Maughan of EM Butterfly Conservaton.

Silver spotted Skipper Butterfly (Hesperia comma)

Now localised to only just a few sites across Southern England, the Silver spotted Skipper is most likely to be found on short grazed chalk grassland from August to September.

It is small butterfly, around 34mm size and a particularly fast flyer in warm sunshine, its low darting flight often makes it difficult to follow even while nectaring.

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) Male. Similar size and appearance to the Large Skipper.

Quick Info

Family Group: Hesperiidae – Skippers.
Habitat: close grazed grassland on chalkhills and downs
When: August to September
Adult Nectar Plant: Thistles (Cirsium sp), Scabious, Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare).
size around: 34mm
Caterpillars feed on: Grasses
Photographed: 11th August, 2013 Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire.

Silver-spotted Skipper Butterfly (Hesperia comma)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) sunbathing after a period of cloud cover

From above with open wings, the Silver spotted Skipper is a golden yellow and brown colour, looking similar in appearance to the Large Skipper Butterfly (Ochlodes venata), the males have the black sex brand. The under-wings of both the male and female have the distinctive silvery white spots.

During periods of cloud cover on exposed hillsides they often rest low down amongst the grass stems or on a warm patch of bare soil, making them quite difficult to spot.

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma), Female

Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria)

about

The Speckled Wood is a dark brown butterfly with light yellow/cream markings and white dotted black eye-spots, often seen in woodland, along hedgerows and in urban parks and gardens, they are widespread and most commonly seen across Southern England, although they can be found in more northern areas.

The Speckled Wood is double brooded, with the first emerging around April – June and the second from July – September. The adult butterflies can often be seen around trees such as Ash, Oak and Hazel where they feed on honeydew from aphids.

Speckled Wood Butterfly - Urban Butterfly Garden

Speckled Wood side profile © Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2012

Information

Name: Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
Wingspan approx– 45mm
Upper Wings – dark brown with light yellow/cream coloured markings and white dotted, black eye-spots.
Under Wings – dark brown with cream markings on wing tips.
Adult Nectar Plant: Ash, Oak, Hazel (aphid honeydew), Bramble, Fleabane, Ragwort, Trefoils, Coneflowers, Yellow Buddleia.
Habitat – Woodland, Hedgerows, urban Parks and Gardens.
Caterpillars feed on grasses:- Common Couch (Elytrigia repens), Cock’s-foot (Dactylis glomerata), False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus).
Photographs taken 10th – 13th August

Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria) male resting on ground in sunshine

The male butterflies are very territorial, they will quickly chase off any rival males, the chase often involves both butterflies spiralling round and round way up into the tree tops.

On warm days the Speckled Wood Butterfly can often be seen sunbathing, sometimes choosing a open position, although as the day warms up it much prefers dappled sunlight. They will often sit low down on foliage in woodland, at the base of a hedgerow, or on a bare patch of ground, and will take flight at the slightest noise or disturbance.

During the latter part of summer Speckled Wood may be seen on Bramble, Ragwort or Fleabane, busily nectaring, building up reserves for winter Hibernation, it may also visit the gardens tempted by Sweet William, Yellow Buddleia and Coneflowers like Rudbeckia and Echinacea.

Speckled Wood Butterfly on Rudbeckia, Coneflower

Skippers – Hesperiidae

Choose a Family Group

Swallowtail
Papilionidae

Whites
Pierinae

Skippers
Hesperiidae

Browns
Nymphalidae

Blues
Lycaenidae

Skippers Family Group – Hesperiidae
Hesperiidae are a family of butterflies more commonly known as Skippers, their small size, wing and body shape, give them an appearance more like a moth than a butterfly. In Britain there are 8 resident species of skipper.
Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)	Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages)	Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)	Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata)	Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)	Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)	Silver Spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)

© Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2013

Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io)

Possibly the most striking and well known of all British Butterflies, the Peacock with its red velvet colours and bright distinctive eye-spots, can often be seen in gardens, mid to late summer often attracted by plants and shrubs like Rudbekia and Buddleia.

As well as being a garden visitor, Peacock butterflies can be found in a broad range of habitats from woodland clearings to urban parks and waste ground, where they may be seen around plants and shrubs like, Blackthorn, Bramble Flowers and Hemp Agrimony or just bathing in warm sunshine.

Peacock Butterfly nectaring on Hemp Agrimony in woodland showing under-wings

Peacock Butterfly showing dark brown and black under-wings

Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns
Subgroup: Nymphalinae.
Wingspan: Around 60mm.
Habitat: Gardens, Open woodland clearings, Urban parks, Waste ground, and others
Adult Nectar Plant: Blackthorn, Bramble, Buddleia, Common Ragwort, Hemp Agrimony, Rudbekia, Teasels, and others.
Caterpillars feed on: only Common Nettles (Urtica dioica).
Photographs: Top – Peacock butterfly 15/8/10, – Left – Peacock showing dark Under-Wings 24th July- bottom right – Peacock in Spring 9th April

Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io) showing eye spots on wings

The Peacock Butterfly hibernates through the winter months, in places like old tree trunks out buildings and wood stacks, emerging around March – April although on occasions they may be seen earlier.

The Upper-Wings are red-brown velvet coloured with bold and distinctive eye-spots especially on the hind-wings, the eye-spots, on tips are less bold.

The Under-Wings are dark brown or black.

Peacock in Spring on Blackthorn Blossom

Wall Brown Butterfly (Pararge aegeria)

A widely spread butterfly the Wall Brown is generally found in South Eastern and Western counties of Britain, where, it may be seen patrolling its territory or basking in the sunshine on patches of open ground, tall plants and of course walls.

The adult Wall Brown emerge from two broods a season, to form small colonies, the first is May-June and a second slightly larger brood July-August.

The upper-wings are light orange with grey/brown veins and lines there are also a single black-eye spot on the fore-wings and of the hind-wings.

Wall Brown Butterfly Eye-Spots on Under-Wings

Wall Brown showing eye-spots on under-wings

Quick Info

Family Group: Browns – Nymphalidae
size around: 45mm
Habitat: Grassy heaths, Quarries and Coastal areas with exposed areas of earth, tracks and embankments
Adult Nectar Plant: Common Ragwort, Bramble flowers and Others.
Caterpillars feed on: Cocksfoot, Couch and other grasses
Photographed: 19th August, 2nd September, Wiveton Down, Norfolk.

Wall Brown Butterfly - Male - Wiverton Down

Wall Brown – Male

The Wall Brown is part of the Nymphalidae Group of butterflies, more commonly referred to as “Browns”, in Britain this group of species includes:- the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, and the rare Purple Emperor, to name but a few.

It is so sad that this, once fairly common little butterfly, is in such decline across much of inland England and Wales, it is now found mainly around coastal regions.

Wall Brown Butterfly on Ragwort September

Wall Brown on Common Ragwort

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

Wild Marjoram for a Wildflower or Butterfly Garden

about

Wild Marjoram or Oregano is an attractive aromatic herb, with clusters of purple/pink flowers that appear June to September. The leaves are oval shaped and in pairs on upright stems they can grow up to 40 cm high.

Wild Marjoram (Origarnum vulgare) may be found growing in meadows, along woodland rides, roadside verges and other sunny places mainly on dry calcareous soils in Southern Britain.

Planting Marjoram

Planting Wild Marjoram can make a great addition to any Wildflower or Butterfly Garden, the nectar rich blooms are attractive to many species of Butterfly, as well as Moths, Bees, Hoverflies and many other pollinating insects.

It is also a Caterpillar food plant for the rare British butterfly the Large Blue

Wild Marjoram Flower Head pink and white petals

Close-up of Wild Marjoram Flower Head

Wild Marjoram a wild flower with many small pink and white flowers in July

Wild Marjoram flowering in July

Plant Information

Name: Wild Marjoram (Origarnum vulgare)
Family: Lamiaceae, inc Mint, Deadnettle
Type: Perennial
Also Known As: Oregano, Pot Marjoram
Where: Common and widespread through-out Southern Britain.
Habitat: Often found in – Meadows, woodland rides, Roadside verges and Gardens.
When does it flower? June to September.
Height around: 40cm.
Nectar Plant: Small White (Pieris rapae), Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album), Brown Argus, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, and others, plus Moths and Bees
Caterpillar Food Plant: Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea arion), Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)
Photographed: 1st July 2012

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Quick Info

Where is Barnack?

What Created the Hills and Holes?

Why is Barnack so unique?

When was the area Protected?

For more information visit

Quick Info: Clouded Yellow Butterfly

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Skippers Family Group – Hesperiidae

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Planting Marjoram

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