If there is one group of insects that everyone can relate to (and mainly positively, unless you are a cabbage farmer!) it’s the butterflies. They capture our imagination with their often wonderful colours and many forms, but short adult life span. Britain supports approximately 60 native breeding species along with other migrants and releases. Some common species such as whites, holly blues and peacocks are able to thrive in gardens, whereas many are confined to extremely specialised habitats and habitat conditions.
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.
See below for a list of British butterflies listed by English name (taken from the Butterfly Garden web site):
- 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