Nymphalidae

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

The Comma Butterfly is quite distinctive in appearance, its bright orange and brown colouring and unusual jagged wing shape make it quite easy to identify even from some distance.

Widespread across England and Wales, Comma Butterflies can often be seen in woodland clearings, on open rides, hedgerows and maybe even in the garden. They can be seen on the wing from early March to September, often in a sheltered sunny spot basking in the warm sunshine.

The males are often quite territorial and may be seen patrolling a section of hedgerow or woodland path sometimes quite boldly making their appearance known to other male Commas.

The Comma may also make an appearance on quite cool days with intermittent sunshine, sometimes resting hardly noticeable wings closed in the subdued sunlight, taking flight at even the slightest disturbance heading upward to find a safer perch.

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album) in garden on leaf

Upper-wings: are orange with dark brown markings. Under-wings are mottled browns with a small white comma shape marking, from which it gets its name.

Comma Quick Info

Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns
Wingspan: approx 45mm
Caterpillars feed on: Stinging Nettle (urtica-dioica), Hops and Elm.
Adults Nectar on: Bramble flowers, Ripe Blackberries, Ragwort
Adults Nectar in the garden on: Buddleia (mostly-yellow or White!), Rudbeckia
Photographs: Top right – Left – June 2011.
Location: My garden, and out on a local walk.

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

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

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

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

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.

Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea)

Found mainly in the southern half of the UK, in the Midlands and the south-west preferring the chalk and limestone grassland. Marbled white butterflies are usually seen flying from July-August, sometimes in large numbers emerging once a year in a single brood.

The Marbled White butterfly has distinctive black and white markings on the on the upper-wings, the male also has black markings the under-wings, in the female they are light brown. Both sexes have eye-spots on the underside of the hind-wings.

Marbled-White (Melanargia galathea)- Male showing underwings

Quick Info

Name: Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)
Family Group: Nymphalidae, Browns.
Flight Period: July-August.
Habitat: Chalk or limestone soils with flower rich Grassy Slopes, Meadows, Roadsides Verges.
Adult nectar plants: Brambles, Common Ragwort, Thistles, Knapweed and others.
Caterpillar feeds on: Grasses like Sheep’s Fescue, Cocksfoot and others
Wingspan: around 50mm
Photographed: – 4th and 5th July 14
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes.

Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea) wings open rested on knapweed

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)Butterfly wings open

Flighty and active on bright sunny days, the Males are always busy searching for newly emerging females, breifly resting to take nectar from Brambles, Ragwort Thistles or Knapweed, their distinctive colouration makes these butterflies visible even in flight, making them stand out from some distance.

During broken sunshine they may be seen more leisurely, resting on tall stems of grasses or nectaring from wildflowers, although they will quickly take flight if disturbed.

Marbled-White Butterfly- Female showing underwings resting on Knapweed

Marbled-White (Melanargia galathea) Butterfly- Female showing underwings

Browns – Nymphalidae

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Swallowtail
Papilionidae

Whites
Pierinae

Skippers
Hesperiidae

Browns
Nymphalidae

Blues
Lycaenidae

Browns Family group – Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae are a family of butterflies which includes species more commonly known as “Browns” and “Fritillaries”. There are 22 species of “Browns” that can be found in Britain, some like the Peacock, Comma, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, and Speckled Wood are fairly widespread throughout the UK, often seen in many Gardens, Parks, Hedgerows and Woodland.
Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa)	Comma (Polygonia c-album)	Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)	Grayling (Hipparchia semele)
Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia)	Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)	Meadow Brown (Maniola-jurtina)	Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron)
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)	Peacock (Inachis io)	Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)	Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)	Scotch Argus (Erebia aethiops)	Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)	Small Tortoiseshell (aglais urticae)
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)	White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)	Wall Brown (Pararge aegeria)
Fritillaries
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene)	Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)	Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)	High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe)
Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja)	Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)	Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)	Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)

© Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2013

Comma Quick Info

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Habitat

Description

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Browns Family group – Nymphalidae

Fritillaries