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　　The Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is named for the naturalist who discovered it and the checkerboard pattern on its wings. These butterflies live in almost all of Europe, especially Finland, and in parts of northwest Africa. They are absent from the far north of Europe and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. To the east they are found across the Palearctic (in Turkey, Russia, northern Kazakhstan, and Mongolia). 　　It has been discovered that this butterfly only mates one time in June or July and lays its eggs. It does not provide any protection … Read more

How do comma butterflies breed? Female comma butterflies mate with several males to fertilise their eggs. They are able to distinguish between males that have fed on high-quality and low-quality plants and will favour the former. The fertilised female lays her eggs on the leaves of stinging nettles and other larval food plants. The eggs hatch after around five days and the caterpillars will feed on the leaves before undergoing pupation. Hibernation The comma hibernates in woodland, usually in hollow trees or log piles. They leave their hibernation spot on warmer winter days and emerge completely in March. Where do … Read more

　　The clouded yellow is a migrant that arrives here from May onwards. Usually, only small numbers turn up, but some years see mass migrations. It prefers open habitats, particularly chalk grassland. 　　About 　　The clouded yellow is a medium-sized, golden-yellow butterfly. It is a migrant species that flies here from North Africa and southern Europe. Clouded yellows are appear in small numbers most years, but occasionally turn up en masse – long remembered as ‘Clouded yellow years’. Adults may arrive at any time during the spring and summer, and can be found in a variety of open habitats, although, in southern … Read more

This colourful skipper is distinguished from all other skippers by the numerous yellowish spots found on its upperside – resulting in a chequered appearance that gives this butterfly its name. Like most skippers, this is a fast-flying butterfly, and its chequered markings make it very difficult to track when in flight. This butterfly does not exist in discrete colonies; populations are generally spread over wide areas of habitat. The Chequered Skipper is confined to north-west Scotland where it was first discovered in 1939 at Loch Lochy in West Inverness-shire, where its distribution is centred on Fort William and where the … Read more

Habitat Hedges, scrub and woodland edge where Blackthorn is prominent and not flailed every year. 　　Life cycle and food plants 　　In Europe the female lays her eggs on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) in late August which overwinter, hatching the following spring when the buds are breaking. It has been found that the best way to find breeding sites for this species is to look for the conspicuous white eggs in the winter. The larvae are extremely well camouflaged and feed only at night, remaining motionless during the day. Pupation takes place in leaf litter on the ground in late June or … Read more

This beautiful species of butterfly is one of the most characteristic of unimproved southern chalk downland, where it can be seen flying low over shortly grazed turf (typically steep, south-facing slopes). The males have brilliant sky-blue wings, while the females are chocolate brown and far less conspicuous. Both sexes have distinctive black lines that enter or cross the white fringes of the wings. The white, textured disc-shaped eggs are laid singly under young, unshaded Horseshoe Vetch leaves in May-June and August-September. They can be found most easily in September where unshaded Horseshoe Vetch is growing on short turf. The Adonis … Read more

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly Common Name: Giant Swallowtail ButterflyScientific Name: Papilio cresphontes Cramer [Sometimes the genus Heraclides is used.]Order: Lepidoptera Description: This adult butterfly is one of the largest swallowtail species, with a wingspan of up to 6 inches. Wings are black with yellow markings near wing margins and spots forming a diagonal band across the fore wings. Caterpillars are dark brown with creamy white mottled markings, making them appear much like bird droppings. When disturbed, caterpillars display a pair of horn-like, orange glands (osmeteria) which emit a foul smell. Other black and yellow swallowtail butterflies include the common tiger swallowtail, Pterourus (Papilio) glaucus (Linnaeus), which has a 3-1/2 to 4 … Read more

Identification: Underside looks like a dead leaf. Male summer form is dull red with a barely hooked forewing tip, and a short tail on the hindwing. Male winter form is redder with more dark markings, a definitely hooked forewing tip, and a longer tail than the summer form. Both female forms are lighter red and have an irregular yellow submarginal band. The winter female form has hooked forewing tips. Wing Span: 2 3/8 – 3 1/4 inches (6 – 8.2 cm). Life History: Flight is swift, strong, and erratic. Males perch in clearings or on ridgetops to wait for females. Eggs are laid … Read more

　　The Dark Blue Tiger Butterfly is native to South and Southeast Asia. Both the Blue Tiger and the Dark Blue Tiger are common over their overlapping ranges. 　　The Dark Blue Tiger (above left) is not only noticeably darker (more brown) than the Blue Tiger (above centre) but certain key features of its pattern differ (ringed). Both are males with a “pocket.” The butterfly above far right is a female (no pocket flap, more blue) and appears to have features halfway between the two — so probably a Scarce Blue Tiger from India. 　　The Dark Blue Tiger (Tirumala septentrionis) is a … Read more

　　Both male and female have black forewings with a white stripe, though there is more white overall on the female forewing. The hindwing is again black, and there is a white swath through the middle. Here the markings differ in that the female has chains of red to orange and blue crescents toward the edge. The markings on the underside are similar to those on top. The body is black.The wingspan is about 140 millimetres (5.5 in) in females and 120 millimetres (4.7 in) in males, making it rather large overall and the largest butterfly commonly seen in at least … Read more