Butterflies

What might I see in my wildflower meadow?
Even in a small meadow, the presence of 30-60 native flowers will be a magnet, and they will flower MUCH longer than a formal flower border. Some varieties will also encourage breeding 'residency' in your meadow.

There are 74 species of butterfly resident or visiting our shores, listed on www.ukbutterflies.co.uk !
To make it easier, we've listed the 20 most likely to turn up in a grassland/woodland edge habitat

Meadow Brown

MEDIUM-SMALL

Very likely resident UK-wide

Caterpillars feed on grasses

Only butterfly with orange just around 'eyes'

Common Blue

TINY

Very likely visitor UK-wide, will become resident if Bird's Foot Trefoil is present (Caterpillar food plant).

Only common pure blue butterfly with no black edges

Small White

MEDIUM

Very likely visitor UK-wide

Won't damage your wildflowers

Only white butterfly with 2 spots. If wings are heavily 'veined' it's a Green-Veined White - also common)

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Peacock

LARGE

Very likely visitor UK-wide

Will breed if you keep a nettle patch (which most of us do, without meaning to!)

Largest 'eyes' of any butterfly

Butterflies

What might I see in my wildflower meadow?

Large White

MEDIUM-LARGE

Very likely visitor UK-wide

Won't damage your wildflowers

Only large white butterfly (has 4 spots)

Red Admiral

LARGE

Very likely visitor UK-wide, will become resident if you keep a nettle patch

Only butterfly with red 'flashes'

Small Tortoiseshell

MEDIUM-LARGE

Likely visitor UK-wide

Will breed if you keep a nettle patch

6 pale spots across forewings

Small Copper

TINY

Likely visitor UK-wide, will become resident if you grow Common Sorrel (it's Caterpillar foodplant)

Only orange butterfly with dark 'backpack'

Butterflies

These are still quite common...

Gatekeeper

SMALL

Likely visitor everywhere but Scotland

Your 'very orange' Meadow Brown, is most likely a Gatekeeper!

Small Skipper

TINY

Possible resident (not a fan of Scotland)

A tiny triangle!

Brimstone

MEDIUM-LARGE

Likely visitor unless you are Scottish (sorry about this, you do have some gems that only live in Scotland!)

Only Sulphur-yellow butterfly. Often the earliest

Orange tip

MEDIUM-SMALL

Likely visitor UK-wide

Only butterfly with orange wing-tips

Butterflies

Now you are getting luckier...

Comma

MEDIUM-LARGE

Possible visitor everywhere in UK (not northern Scotland)

Only butterfly with 'deliberately' ragged-wings

Painted Lady

LARGE

Possible visitor (not a fan of Scotland)

Has 'fighter jet' wings, tipped with black

Holly Blue

TINY

Possible visitor everywhere but....Scotland.

Black wing tips

Clouded Yellow

MEDIUM

Possible visitor UK-wide, including Scotland! If you plant Bird's Foot Trefoil, it will breed.

Yellow-orange, with perfect brown edging

Butterflies

Less common...

Large Skipper

MEDIUM

Likely visitor everywhere but Scotland

Unmistakable shape for its size

Ringlet

TINY

Possible resident (loves Scotland)

Easy to mistake for a tiny chocolate Moth

Scotch Argus

TINY

Not only do I live in Scotland.

I ONLY live in Scotland!

Unique and stunning detail to the orange spots

Green Hairstreak

TINY

Possible visitor UK-wide

Only green butterfly (underwings only) - described as 'jewel-like' in the sun

We have tried to give unique identification features, as there are another 20 or more species that MIGHT come to see you!