Peacock

Wingspan=60mm
Habitat=Countryside, hedgerows and gardens
Larval Food Plant=Common Nettle
Flight Period=Mar-Sep

Species Description

The Peacock is an incredibly common and widespread  across almost all of England and Wales but is absent from Scotland. The Peacock is one of the commonly seen butterflies in gardens as it likes to feed on garden flowers in adult form. The Peacock is one of the the first butterflies to emerge in the spring.  

Blood-Vein

Wingspan=31-33mm
Habitat=Waysides, hedgerows and gardens
Larval Food Plant=Common Sorrel, Docks and Knotgrass
Flight Period=May-Sep

Species Description

The Blood-Vein is a unmistakable moth that rests with it's wings spread flat. It is widespread and fairly common throughout much of Wales and central England. The Blood-Vein is absent from north of England and Scotland. The Blood-Vein usually at rest during the day but can be seen flying during the day if provocked.

Red Admiral

Wingspan=60mm

Habitat=Open countryside, hedgerows and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Common Nettle
Flight Period=May-Oct

Species Description

The Red Admiral is a beautiful colourful butterfly. It is a migrating butterfly from S Europe. The Red Admirals numbers vary from year to year. Fortunately most years it has been fairly common and widespread throughout most of England and Wales except in fore in the north. The adult Red Admiral is fond of drinking juices from common garden flowers. If you want to try and encourage Red Admirals to yore garden leave out some rotten fruit. They often drink the juices out of them as well.    

Blotched Emerald

Wingspan=24-28mm

Habitat=Mature oak woodland and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Oaks and Hazel.
Flight Period=Jun-Jul

Species Description

The Blotched Emerald is a colorful and fairly pretty moth. It is fairly common throughout much of its natural habitats in south and central England. It is also found in Wales but is absent from Scotland. The Blotched Emeralds species is attracted to light. The markings on the Blotched Emeralds wings often make it look like a leaf. 

Painted Lady

Wingspan=60mm

Habitat=Open countryside and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Thistle
Flight Period=May-Oct

Species Description

The Painted Lady is a beautiful, highly preheated butterfly. The Painted Lady is a migrating species from S Europe and north Africa. The Painted Lady's numbers vary from year too year. You stand a good chance of seeing one as fore most years it has been very common.    

Large Emerald

Wingspan=42mm

Habitat=Woodland, heaths and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Birches and Hazel.
Flight Period=Jul-Aug

Species Description

The Large Emerald is a stunning fairly large moth. It is a widespread and fairly common moth throughout much of England and Wales. It can also be found throughout Scotland. The Large Emeralds colour is at its brightest when it first emerges from its pupa. Its colour fades as it  flys around as a moth. The Large Emerald is attracted to light and often flys at night but it can be seen flying during daylight hours.   

Small Tortoiseshell

Wingspan=40-45mm

Habitat=Open countryside, hedgerows and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Common Nettle.
Flight Period=Mar-Oct

Species Description

The Small Tortoiseshell is a stunning beautiful widespread and extremely common butterfly except  in the north. The Small Tortoiseshell was once extremely numerous. Even more common than today. The Small Tortoiseshells numbers where decreased but now they are a common butterfly again. If you want Small Tortoiseshells to come to yore garden leave patches of Common Nettle fore the larvae to feed on. The adults love to feed on butterfly bushes.

March Moth

Length=(male)20mm, (female)9mm

Habitat= Open woodland, parks and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Broadleaved trees.
Flight Period=Mar-Apr

Species Description 

The female March Moth is wingless and is brown like. The male March Moth is much more distinctive with narrow wings witch are held flat at rest. The March Moth is a widespread and fairly common moth throughout much of the lowland areas of England, Wales and parts of Scotland.

Clouded Yellow

Wingspan=50mm

Habitat= Open Countryside and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Lucerne
Flight Period=May-Sep

Species Description

The Clouded Yellow is a beautiful and unmistakable butterfly.  It's species is migrating butterfly witch comes from southern Europe. The Clouded Yellows numbers vary from year too year. Some years it has been vary scarce but some years it has been fairly common. The Clouded Yellow always rests with its wings closed.  

Figure Of Eighty

Length=25mm

Habitat=Woodlands,parks and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Aspen and Poplars.
Flight Period=May-Jul

Species Description

The Figure Of Eighty is a widespread and fairly common moth that rests with it's wings held in a tent like manner. It is found in large numbers in much of England and Wales. It is found in the north of England but absent from Scotland. The Figure Of Eighty's wings assemble a twig.  

Brimstone

Wingspan=69mm

Habitat=Woodland,hedgerows and gardens

Larval Food Plant=Alder Buckthorn

Flight Period=Jun-Aug

Species Description

The Brimstone is an unmistakable and unique butterfly. It is a widespread and fairly common butterfly in much of south and central England. The Brimstone is absent from Scotland. It is often seen in gardens. The Brimstone is the only British butterfly witch has such a deep yellow. Only the males of the Brimstone species have the deep yellow wings. The females wings are a lot paler and it is often mistaken for a Large White. The Brimstone hibernates between September and March.   

Buff Arches

Length=19-22mm
Habitat=Woodland,hedgerows and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Bramble and Dewberry
Flight Period=Jun-Aug

Species Description

The Buff Arches is a unique and distinctive moth that rests with it's wings in a tent like manor. The Buff Arches is a widespread and fairly common moth in much of south and central England. It is also fairly common moth in much of wales but is scares in north of England and absent from Scotland. The patterns on the Buff Arches wings assemble a piece of wood or a bit of bark.     

Orange Tip

Wingspan=40mm
Habitat=Hedgerows,woodland and gardens
Larval Food Plant=Cuckoo Flower and Garlic Mustard
Flight Period=Apr-Jun

Species Description

A Beautiful unmistakable butterfly with orange tips on it's front wings. The Orange Tip is a fairly common and widespread butterfly to most of England and Wales. It is not as common and widespread in the north and upland Britain as it is in the south. It is often seen flying through gardens and woodland although it can be seen in parks. Only the males of this species have the unmistakable orange tip as the females are often confused with Green-Veined White.  

Peach Blossom

Length=16-18mm
Habitat=Woodland margins,scrub,hedgerows and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Bramble
Flight Period=Jun-Jul

Species Description

An attractive and unmistakable moth that mostly rests with its wings spread flat. The Peach Blossom is a widespread and fairly common moth throughout England and wales. It is a lot more scarce in Scotland.

The Peach Blossom is attracted to light and at dawn and dusk can be seen resting on vegetation and on walls. 

Green-Veined White

Wingspan=45-50mm
Habitat=Hedgerows,woods and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Garlic,Hedge mustard and Cuckoo flower.
Flight Period=Apr-Jun and Jul-Aug

Species Description

The Green-Vein White is an extremely common and widespread butterfly to the UK. It is not as common in the north and upland Britain as it is in the south. It is most likely to be seen flying along country hedgerows and in parks although it is a garden visiting butterfly.  

Chinese Character

Length=11-13mm
Habitat=Hedgerows,woods and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Blackthorn,Hawthorn and Wild Crab.
Flight Period=May-Jun and Jul-Aug

Species Description

  A pretty unmistakable moth that rests with it's wings in a tent like manor. The Chinese Character is a widespread and fairly common moth across much of England and wales. It also occurs in much of lowland Scotland. Where it's larval food plant consists in reasonable numbers there will often be plenty of adults. The Chinese Character often rests on the top of a leaf where it's murky white markings assemble a bird dropping.

Small White

Wingspan=45mm
Habitat=Gardens,parks and countryside.
Larval Food Plant=Cabbage and Nasturtium.
Flight Period=Apr-May and Jul-Aug

Species Description

In the name the Small White is smaller than the Large White. The Small White is an extremely common and widespread butterfly to all of the UK except to the far north. It is a garden butterfly and its larvae can be seen eating and stripping cabbage leaves. It hatches from yellow eggs witch are laid singly. Like the Large White the Small White spends the winter in it's pupa witch is attached to a plant stem or fence. The Small Whites numbers boost in the summer due to migration from mainland Europe.

December Moth

Wingspan=16mm
Habitat=Woodland,hedgerows and mature gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Broad leaved trees.
Flight Period=Nov-Jan

Species Description

The December Moth is a distinctive Moth that rests with it's wings in a tent like manner. The December Moth is a widespread and common species to much of England and Wales. It is not as common in the upland regions. It is also a widespread species in much of lowland Scotland. The December Moth is attracted to light and can often be found resting on walls. It is a very well camouflaged moth as the markings on it's wings represent a piece of bark or a dead trig.  

Large White

Wingspan=60mm
Habitat=Gardens,parks and open countryside.
Larval Food Plant=Cabbages and Nasturtium.
Flight Period=May-Jun and Aug-Sep

Species Description

The Large White is Britain's largest "white" butterfly. The Large White is a very common and local butterfly to the UK But is less numerous than it has been in the past and resent years. They are a very common butterfly in gardens. The Large Whites black and yellow larval (or caterpillars) are often found feasting and striping the leaves of cabbages of witch they have often hatched from there yellow eggs laid in clusters. The Large White spends the winter as a pupa and emerges in the spring. The Large Whites numbers often boost up during the summer due to annual migration from inland Europe.    

Mother of Pearl

Wingspan=28-40mm
Habitat=Woodlands,hedgerows and gardens.
Larval Food Plant=Common Nettle.
Flight Period=Jun-Jul

Species Description

The Mother of pearl like most moths rests with all fore of it's wings flat. The Mother of Pearl is a widespread and fairly common moth throughout most of lowland Britain and a large amount of it's population live in the south of England. Wherever it's larval food plant (Common Nettle) consists in reasonable numbers there will always plenty of adults. The Mother of Pearl moth is attracted to light and is often caught in moth traps in large numbers. If disturbed from nettle patches The Mother of Pearl moth can be seen during the day. 

Wood White

Wingspan=40mm
Habitat=Woodland,rides and scrub.
Larval Food plant=Members of the pea family and Bitter-vetch.
Flight Period=May-Jun and Jul-Aug

Species Description

The Wood White Is delicate and fiddly little butterfly. The Wood White is a plain white butterfly except it has a distinctive black tip on the underside of it's front wings. The Wood White is a extremely local and common butterfly with most of it's species in SW and central England. There is also a large population consisting along the Welsh border. The Wood White also comes out on dreary or murky days when most butterfly's stay in undergrowth or vegetable patches. The Wood White always settles with it's wings closed.      

Small Magpie

Wingspan=25-28mm
Habitat=Hedgerows,Rough grassland and Gardens.
Larval Food plant=Common Nettle and Woundworts.
Flight period=Jun-Jul

Species Description

The Small Magpie is a fairly pretty and distinctive Moth. Like most moths it rests with its wings flat.

This moth is a widespread species and is very common. It is mainly found in south and central Britain.

It prefers to live in lowland areas where it's larval plant is commonly found. The small Magpie is attracted to light so it often gets caught in moth-traps. It tends to rest on walls and fences. It can also be found in nettle patches 

Swallowtail

Wingspan=70mm
Habitat=Fens and marshes
Larval Food plant=Milk parsley
Flight Period=May-Jun and Aug

Species description

The Swallowtail is a beautiful and fairly common Butterfly if looked at in the right place. The Swallowtail has been seen in East Anglia and Norfolk as that is the place where most of it's population lives. The Swallowtails larval food plant is essential for it's species survival. The Swallowtail gets it's name by having two extra long parts of its lower wings (Like tails) so if a bird treys to eat it it catch it's wing and not the Butterfly it's self. (Loosing part of it's wing doesn't hurt.)