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The butterfly species found in the UK
There are 56 British butterflies species breeding in the UK. These are represented by just six families, skippers (Hesperiidae): swallowtails (Papilionidae): whites and yellows (Pieridae): hairstreaks, coppers and blues (Lycaenidae): metalmarks (Riodinidae) and the fritillaries, nymphalids and browns (Nymphalidae)
Two of these families are represented by only one species, the Papilionidae by the swallowtail (Papilio machaon), which is confined to Norfolk Broads and the Riodinidae by the Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) found only in local areas in the north-east, north-west and south-east England.
Twenty nine of Great Britain’s breeding butterfly species are listed as ‘High UK priority’, with 9 of those regarded as requiring ‘urgent action across their UK range’. Butterfly Conservation found further evidence of the serious, long-term and ongoing decline of UK butterflies, with 70% of species declining in occurrence since 1976. and overall, 76% of the UK’s resident and regular migrant butterfly species declined in either abundance or occurrence (or both) over the past four decades. By comparison, 47% of species increased in one or both measures. This is of great concern not just for butterflies but for other wildlife species and the overall state of the environment.
Adonis blue (Polyommatus bellargus)
Photo: Ted Benton
Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus)
Photo: T. Benton
Underside
Chalkhill Blue (Polyommatus coridon)
Photo: T. Benton
Male
Chalkhill Blue (Polyommatus coridon)
Photo: T. Benton
Female
Chalkhill Blue (Polyommatus coridon)
Photo: T. Benton underside
Common blue (Polyommatus Icarus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Common blue (Polyommatus Icarus)
by S. Rutherford
Female
Common blue (Polyommatus Icarus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Underwing
Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
female
Holly blue (Celastrina argiolus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
female underwing
Large Blue (Phenagaris arion)
Photo: T. Benton
Female
Large Blue (Phenagaris arion)
Photo: T. Benton
Underside
Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
Photo: T. Benton
Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus)
Photo: T. Benton
Underside
Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
Photo: T. Benton
Male
Small Blue (Cupido minimus)
Photo: T. Benton
Underside
Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)
Photo: T. Benton
Female. There is a black spot on each forewing.
Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes)
Photo: S. Rutherford Differs from the Brown Argus by having a white/brown spot in the centre of each forewing. The Northern Brown Argus is restricted to Scotland and Northern England
Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes)
Photo: T. Benton
Scottish form.
In Scotland, most individuals are of the race artaxerxes and have a characteristic white spot in the middle of the forewing as this one has.
Silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia)
Photo: J. McCrindle
South-western half of England and Wales; (re)expanding range east, including East Anglia
Heath fritillary (Melitaea athalia)
Photo: J. McCrindle West Country and Kent; re-introduced to Essex
Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia)
Photo: S. Jones
female
Dark green fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Dark green fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Underwing
Small pearl bordered fritillary (Boloria selene)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Small pearl bordered fritillary (Boloria selene)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Underwing
Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia)
Photo: H. West
Female
Green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Photo: J. McCrindle
White Letter Hairstreak Satyrium c-album
Photo: J. McCrindle
Southern Britain, has distinctive white "W" mark on underwing
Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardemines)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Male, this species is sexually dimorphic so male and female are different colours. The male has the orange tips to the white wings, the female has black tips to the wings
Orange tip (Anthocaris cardamines)
Photo: D. Farrar
Female
Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardemines)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Male underwing,
Small White (Pieris rapae)
Photo: J. McCrindle
Male
Small White (Pieris rapae)
Photo: J. McCrindle
female
Small white (Pieris rapae)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Underwing
Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Male
Green-veined white (Pieris napi)
Photo: D. Farrar
Underwing
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Photo: T. Benton
Male
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Photo: T. Benton
Female
Marbled white (Melanargia galathea serena)
Photo: J. McCrindle
Throughout south-east half of the country, but not most of East Anglia; expanding range northwards
Marbled white (Melanargia galathea)
Photo: D. Farrar
Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas eleus)
Photo: J. McCrindle
Throughout, except far north
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
Photo: J. McCrindle
Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Photo: K. Hinchcliffe
White Admiral Limenitis Camilla
Photo: J. McCrindle
seen in Southern Britain, very similar to a female Purple Emperor but lacks the orange-ringed eyespot
White Admiral (Limentis camilla)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Comma (Polygonia c-album)
Photo: D. Farrar
Comma (Polygonia c-album)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Underwing
Comma (Polygonia c-album - nov )
Photo: P. Rutherford
Identified by Alec Harmer (author of 'Variations in British Butterflies' as only the 2nd ever record of this form of aberration)
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Male
Wall brown (Lassiommata megera)
Photo: P. Rutherford
Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
Photo: P. Rutherford
Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)
Photo: C. Fitt
Speckled wood (Parage aegeria)
Photo: D. Farrar
Grayling Hipparchia semele
Photo: J. McCrindle
All parts of the UK but mainly coastal, rests with wings closed
Peacock (Inachis io)
Photo: P. Rutherford
Purple Emperor Apatura iris
Photo: J. McCrindle
Flies high in the canopy in central, southern England
Purple Emperor Apatura iris
Photo: J. McCrindle
female, easily confused with White Admiral but has an orange-ringed eyespot under the forewing
Purple Emperor Apatura iris
Photo: J. McCrindle
underwing
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Dingy skipper (Erynnis tages)
Photo: D. Farrar
Large skipper (Ochlodes venata)
Photo: S. Rutherford
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
by S. Rutherford
Essex Skipper ( Thymelicus lineola)
Photo: J. McCrindle
Small Skipper (thymelicus sylvestris))
Photo: S. Rutherford
Copulating
Being able to tell the difference between male and female butterflies is dependant on the species. Some species such as the painted lady butterfly look the same in color and markings and can only be differentiated by examining anatomical structures. Males tend to have a more slender abdomen and females tend to have larger rounded abdomens. Some species can be identified by differences in the shape of the forewings. Hairstreaks are a good example of this, males have triangular forewings and females’ forewings have a more rounded shape.
Subtle wing pattern differences are apparent in the monarch. Males have a round black dot in the hindwing that the females do not have. The Gatekeeper, also known as the Hedge Brown, are more easy to tell apart — only the male has the distinctive sex brands on the forewings. On the other hand female common blue butterflies varies from almost completely brown in southern England to predominantly blue in Scotland
Another common difficulty is with the female adonis blue which is easily mistaken for a female chalk hill blue and the two species occasionally fly together toward the second half of August on some sites. Distinguishing the two is not at all easy.