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'
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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)

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
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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!
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Small Skipper
TINY
Possible resident (not a fan of Scotland)
A tiny triangle!
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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
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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
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Ringlet
TINY
Possible resident (loves Scotland)
Easy to mistake for a tiny chocolate Moth
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Scotch Argus
TINY
Not only do I live in Scotland.
I ONLY live in Scotland!
Unique and stunning detail to the orange spots
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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!