It is this specialism which leads to their rarity, especially where recent
farming practice has changed. An example of one such butterfly which has
very exacting requirements is that of the Adonis Blue butterfly. It leads
a fascinating life which rather surprisingly is dependant on the yellow ant.
The larva (caterpillar) feeds on horseshoe vetch in short
grassland on chalk or limestone usually on the warmer south facing slopes.
The larva and pupa is tended by ant maybe over wintering in the ant hills of the
meadow yellow ant. The ants go as far as to bury the larva at night,
sometimes in groups together to protect them! The ants are supplied with a
sweet excretion from the larva, which they obviously like. After 3 weeks
the larva pupates, having been cared for in the ant hills and emerges as the
brilliantly vibrant Adonis blue butterfly - see below (the adult). As an
adult it mates and eggs are laid on the larval food source. This species
requires warmth, ants, short grassland grazed by sheep or rabbits and less then
5cm (but not so short that there are no flowers) with horseshoe vetch in
abundance. As these conditions are so exacting this species is very
vulnerable.
For a personal view of British butterflies go to the
private and rather lovely web site 'Butterfly Garden'. For a more information about butterflies (and moths) visit the site of
Butterfly Conservation, and click on the Species link. Alternatively
visit the Natural
History Museum's butterfly and moth database to see images of species or the
excellent
British Butterflies site.
See below for a list of British butterflies listed by English name (taken from the
Butterfly Garden web
site)
Butterflies a-z: a b c d e
f g h i j k l m
n o p q r
s t u v w x y z
Adonis Blue - Polyommatus
bellargus
Black Hairstreak - Satyrium
pruni
Brimstone - Gonepteryx
rhamni
Brown Argus - Aricia
agestis
Brown Hairstreak - Thecla
betulae
Chalkhill Blue
- Polyommatus coridon
Chequered Skipper - Carterocephalus
palaemon
Clouded Yellow - Colias
croceus
Comma - Polygonia
c-album
Common Blue - Polyommatus
icarus
Dark Green Fritillary
- Argynnis aglaja
Dingy Skipper - Erynnis
tages
Duke of Burgundy - Hamearis
lucina
Essex Skipper
- Thymelicus lineola
Gatekeeper - Pyronia
tithonus
Glanville Fritillary - Melitaea
cinxia
Grayling - Hipparchia
semele
Green Hairstreak - Callophrys
rubi
Green-veined White - Pieris
napi
Grizzled Skipper - Pyrgus
malvae
Heath Fritillary - Melitaea
athalia
High Brown Fritillary - Argynnis
adippe
Holly Blue -Celastrina
argiolus
Large Blue - Maculinea
arion
Large Heath - Coenonympha
tullia
Large Skipper - Ochlodes
venata
Large White - Pieris
brassicae
Lulworth Skipper - Thymelicus
acteon
Marbled White
- Melanargia galathea
Marsh Fritillary
- Euphydryas aurinia
Meadow Brown - Maniola
jurtina
Mountain Ringlet - Erebia
epiphron
Northern Brown Argus - Aricia
artaxerxes
Orange Tip - Anthocharis
cardamines
Painted Lady
- Vanessa cardui
Peacock - Inachis
io
Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Boloria
euphrosyne
Purple Emperor - Apatura
iris
Purple Hairstreak - Neozephyrus
quercus
Red Admiral -
Vanessa atalanta
Ringlet - Aphantopus
hyperantus
Scotch Argus - Erebia
aethiops
Silver-spotted Skipper - Hesperia
comma
Silver-studded Blue - Plebeius
argus
Silver-washed Fritillary -
Argynnis paphia
Small Blue - Cupido
minimus
Small Copper - Lycaena
phlaeas
Small Heath - Coenonympha
pamphilus
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary - Boloria
selene
Small Skipper - Thymelicus
sylvestris
Small Tortoiseshell -
Aglais urticae
Small White - Pieris
rapae
Speckled Wood - Pararge
aegeria
Swallowtail - Papilio
machaon
Wall - Lasiommata
megera
White Admiral - Limenitis
camilla
White-letter Hairstreak
- Satyrium w-album
Wood White - Leptidea
sinapis
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