June

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vessca) Flowers and Berries

The Wild or Woodland Strawberry is similar, in appearance to the well known garden strawberry although still edible it is overall much smaller. In the UK they can often be found growing in many dry grassy places, from Woodland rides, Meadows and Gardens to Road side verges, often sending out long runners and colonising any available ground.

The leaves of the strawberry plant are made up of three oval leaflets, the small flowers have 5 white petals and a rich yellow centre and appear April to July.

Wild strawberry fruit or berries, may be found from June through to October, although small size they are stronger tasting and are often used commercially in jams and medicines.

Wild Strawberry Plant with Red Berries

Wild Strawberry Plant showing leaves and yellow and white flowers

Wild Strawberry Plant in Flower

Quick Info

Type: Perennial Herb
Also Known As: Woodland Strawberry
Where: Commonly found through-out Britain
Habitat: Often found on well drained – Meadows, Road side verges, woodland Clearings, Gardens and tracks.
When does it flower? April to July.
Fruiting: June through to October.
Height around: 20-30cm.
Larval Food Plant: Grizzled Skipper Butterfly (Pyrgus malvae)

Visit Thompson & Morgan to get Woodland Strawberry seeds

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Clossiana Selene)

About

The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is a widespread butterfly in England. It is mainly found locally to the West into Wales and the west country, mostly in damp woodland habitats. Further North however, across the borders and into Scotland the butterfly is more often found on open grassland such as moors and heaths.

All areas are where its larval food plant Common Dog or Marsh Violets, can be found

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary under wings

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Clossiana Selene)- Somerset

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Clossiana Selene)

Quick Information

Name: Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Clossiana Selene)
Family Group: Nymphalidae
Size Around: 40mm
Habitat: Damp Woodland and Grassland Moors and Heaths
When: June
Adult Nectar Plant: Bramble Flowers(Rubus sp.), Birds-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatas)
Larvae feed on: Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana), Marsh Violet
Photographed: Ubley warren, Somerset

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

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

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

Large Skipper Butterfly (Ochlodes venata)

About

The Large Skipper is a small fast flying butterfly often seen till disturbed from it sunny perch, from late June through July. Despite its small size it can be commonly found in almost every county of England and Wales, stretching as far northwards as Ayrshire and Northumberland

Large Skipper Habitat

Found in a varied range of grassy habitats the Large Skipper prefers those in a sunny sheltered spot, where grasses like Common Couch and Cock’s foot are found and left to grow tall. It’s varied range of habitats can often include Woodland edges and paths, Hedgerows, Roadside Verges, urban gardens and even parks.

Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) - Female

Large Skipper – Female

The males are darker in colour than the females with a distinctive black sexual mark or brand on the upper wings. The females have a lighter row of golden spots on the wings. Under-wings are a light brown or buff with small yellow patches.

Quick Information

Name:Large Skipper Butterfly (Ochlodes venata)
Family group: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Wingspan: around 34mm.
Caterpillars feed on: Grasses like, Cock’s foot, Purple Moor-Grass, Wood Small-Reed.
Adult Butterflies nectar on: Bramble flowers, Trefoils, Ox-eye Daisy
Photographed: top- 26th June 2010 : Left 3rd July 2011 : Right 14th July 2012
Locations: Southey Woods, Bedford Purlieus

Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) Male resting on Bramble leaf

Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) Male on Bramble leaf

Large Skipper butterflies may be found perched in a sunny position, on a tall wild flower or on a bramble leaf, leaving occasionally to feed quickly skipping from one flower to the next.

The males wait for passing females they are particularly territorial and will quickly chase away rival males, other Butterflies, Bees, Dragonflies, and just about any other insect that unknowingly strays into its territory.

The upper sides of the wings of both sexes of the Large Skipper are an eye catching golden yellow and brown.

Mating Large Skipper Butterflies, Bedford Purlieus

Mating Large Skippers 14th July