Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)

This brown and cream butterfly is found in shaded woodlands, where it often perches in sunlit spots. It has a characteristic speckled pattern and can be seen flying from spring through to autumn.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)

One of the most common and widespread butterflies in the UK, the Meadow Brown is often seen in grasslands, meadows, and gardens. Its dull brown wings with an orange patch and a single black eye spot make it easy to identify.

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)

The Ringlet butterfly is associated with damp grasslands and woodland edges. It has dark brown wings with a row of small, ring-like spots, hence the name. It is often seen flying in dull or overcast weather.

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

The Gatekeeper, or Hedge Brown, is commonly found in hedgerows, meadows, and gardens. Its orange and brown wings with eye spots are similar to those of the Meadow Brown but with a more pronounced orange colouring.

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

The Common Blue is the most widespread of the blue butterflies in the UK. Males have bright blue wings, while females are brown with orange spots. It favours grasslands, meadows, and coastal dunes.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

The Holly Blue is often seen in gardens and woodland edges, especially near holly and ivy, which serve as food plants for its caterpillars. Its delicate pale blue wings distinguish it from other blue butterflies.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

This small butterfly is known for its bright copper-orange wings with black spots. It is often found in sunny spots in gardens, grasslands, and heathlands, feeding on nectar from wildflowers.

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia)

The Silver-washed Fritillary is a large, orange butterfly with black markings and a silvery sheen on the underside of its wings. It inhabits woodlands, where it can be seen gliding through sunny clearings in late summer.

Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja)

The Dark Green Fritillary is a fast-flying butterfly found in grasslands and coastal areas. Its orange wings are adorned with black spots, and the underside has distinctive greenish patches.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)

Despite its name, the Marbled White is not related to the white butterflies. It has striking black and white chequered wings and is commonly found in meadows and grasslands. Its caterpillars feed on grasses, and it is often seen in southern England.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

The Small Skipper is a small, orange-brown butterfly commonly seen in grasslands, meadows, and road verges. It is often confused with the Large Skipper but is more delicate in appearance. Its larvae feed on grasses like Yorkshire fog and timothy.

Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus)

The Large Skipper is a robust, orange-brown butterfly with faint dark markings. It inhabits grassy areas, woodlands, and gardens, favouring sunny, sheltered spots. Its caterpillars feed on coarse grasses such as cocksfoot and false brome.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)

The Brown Argus is a small, delicate butterfly with brown wings and orange spots along the edges. It is typically found in grasslands, meadows, and coastal dunes. The larvae feed on plants like common rock-rose and various types of cranesbill.

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

This inconspicuous butterfly has pale brown and orange wings with eye spots. It is commonly found in dry grasslands, heathlands, and coastal dunes. The Small Heath is often seen basking in the sun on short vegetation.

Chalk Hill Blue (Polyommatus coridon)

The Chalk Hill Blue is a butterfly associated with chalk and limestone grasslands, primarily in southern England. Males have silvery-blue wings, while females are brown. The larvae feed on horseshoe vetch.

Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus)

The Adonis Blue is one of the UK’s most striking butterflies, with vibrant blue wings in males and brown wings in females. It is a rare species, typically found on chalk downlands, where its caterpillars feed on horseshoe vetch.

This butterfly, often called the “woodman’s friend,” is found in coppiced woodlands and heathlands. Its wings are orange with brown markings, and it is one of the UK’s rarest butterflies, with populations limited to southern England.

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla)

The White Admiral is a woodland butterfly, characterised by its graceful, gliding flight. Its black wings with white bands and brown underwings make it stand out. The larvae feed on honeysuckle in shady woodland areas.

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris)

One of the UK’s most elusive and largest butterflies, the Purple Emperor is known for its stunning iridescent purple wings, particularly in males. It is found in mature woodlands, especially in southern England, and its larvae feed on goat willow.

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)

The Clouded Yellow is a migratory butterfly that arrives in the UK from southern Europe and North Africa. It has bright yellow wings with black borders and can be seen in meadows, grasslands, and coastal areas during summer months.

Small Blue (Cupido minimus)

The Small Blue is the UK’s smallest butterfly, with dark blue wings in males and brownish-grey wings in females. It inhabits chalk and limestone grasslands, where its larvae feed on kidney vetch. It is a scarce species in the UK.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary is a declining species found in sunny woodland clearings. Its orange wings are marked with black spots and a row of white “pearls” along the edges. The larvae feed on violets.

Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)

The Glanville Fritillary is a rare butterfly in the UK, primarily found on the Isle of Wight. It has orange wings with black markings and is associated with coastal grasslands. The larvae feed on plantains.

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma)

The Silver-spotted Skipper is a small, brown butterfly with distinctive white spots on the underside of its wings. It inhabits chalk downlands in southern England and is a relatively rare species. Its larvae feed on sheep’s fescue.

High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe)

The High Brown Fritillary is a large orange butterfly with black spots, similar to other fritillaries. Once widespread, it is now one of the UK’s most endangered butterflies, found in small colonies in upland areas and limestone pavements.

Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina)

The Duke of Burgundy is a small, brown butterfly with orange spots, confined to a few sites in southern England. It favours scrubby grassland and woodland clearings, and its larvae feed on cowslip and primrose.

Grayling (Hipparchia semele)

The Grayling is a master of camouflage, blending perfectly into stony or sandy habitats such as coastal dunes and heathlands. Its wings are brown with a dark eye spot, and it often rests with its wings closed, exposing its cryptic underside.

Northern Brown Argus (Aricia artaxerxes)

The Northern Brown Argus is closely related to the Brown Argus but is found in more northerly regions, particularly in Scotland. It inhabits grassy slopes and coastal cliffs, where its larvae feed on common rock-rose.

Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia)

The Large Heath is found in peat bogs and damp moorlands, primarily in northern England and Scotland. Its pale brown wings have small eye spots, and the larvae feed on various sedge species. It is a species of conservation concern due to habitat loss.

Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)

The Chequered Skipper is a rare butterfly confined to western Scotland. It has golden-brown wings with a distinctive chequered pattern. It inhabits damp, grassy clearings in woodlands and is a focus of conservation efforts due to its limited distribution.