Overall, 2014 was a good year for the number of different butterflies and moths we spotted and photographed. This is a good sample, but not all of them. I owe Rosey a huge debt when talking of these amazing insects, because are very much part of the world that fascinates her and she has infinite patience in identifying them. Thank you Rosey!
Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) An unmistakable and distinctive moth with pinkish-brown markings. The wings are folded along the body at rest which gives the impression of a withered autumn leaf.
The adults are attracted to light and feed on flowers of Common Reed and other grasses and are frequently seen during the day, resting in the open, on walls, fences or vegetation. They overwinter as larvae so the caterpillars can be seen all year round, feeding in mild weather. They usually pupate in a cocoon just under the soil.
Small Argent & Sable (Epirrhoe tristata) Although the markings can be variable, the distinctively chequered borders to the wings help to distinguish this moth from similar sized species. Some examples are superficially similar to the Argent & Sable, although that species is generally larger with a broken central dark band. Flies by day in sunshine and at dusk.
The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is a delightful butterfly found in discrete colonies. Patrolling males can be seen flying a couple of feet from the ground, alternating a burst of rapid wing beats with a short glide, searching out freshly-emerged females in the surrounding scrub. The wing pattern, however, makes the adult butterfly difficult to follow in flight, it being much easier to observe this species when it is basking or nectaring on flowers of Bugle and other plants.This butterfly, like the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, gets its name from the series of "pearls" that run along the outside edge of the underside of the hindwing. The two species may be seen together at certain sites, although the Pearl-bordered Fritillary emerges a couple of weeks before the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and generally appears much paler as a result.
Cinnabar moth - This species is so named due to the colour of the hindwings and the markings on the forewings which make it unmistakeable. There is little variation although on rare occasions the pinkish markings are replaced with yellow, or the forewing is red with a black border or the wings are completely black. Easily disturbed by day and flies in sunshine. Also flies after dark.
Poplar Hawk Moth This resident moth flashes reddish-brown patches on underwings if disturbed. The wings can sometimes have a pinkish/purplish tinge. Adult does not feed, instead they rely on fat reserves put down as caterpillars.
Female comes to light before midnight, the male after midnight, in greater numbers. Rests with abdomen curved up and hindwings further forward than the forewings. Larvae can be found between June to early October.
Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) - Widespread and common throughout Britain and Ireland. The Gatekeeper is generally smaller and more orange with a row of tiny white dots on the hind underwings. The Meadow Brown is the most abundant butterfly species in many habitats. Hundreds may be seen together at some sites, flying low over the vegetation. Adults fly even in dull weather when most other butterflies are inactive.
Regional variations in the spotting pattern on the wings have led to it being studied extensively by geneticists over many years. Larger forms occur in Ireland and the north of Scotland. It is one of our most widespread species, but many colonies have been lost due to agricultural intensification.
Six-spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae) - The only British burnet moth with six red spots on each forewing, although care must be taken with identification, as in some cases the outermost spots can be fused. Rarely the red colour is replaced by yellow. Flies with a usually slow buzzing flight during sunshine and is attracted to a range of flowers including thistles, knapweeds and scabious.
Grayling (Hipparchia semele) This butterfly, the largest of our 'browns', is a master of disguise - although fairly conspicuous when in flight, it can mysteriously disappear as soon as it lands, perfectly camouflaged against a background of bare earth and stones, always resting with its wings closed. When it first lands, and when disturbed, the butterfly will raise its forewings for a second or so, revealing dark eye spots that stand out against a beautiful spectrum of browns. This butterfly also has a curious technique for regulating body temperature by leaning its wings at different angles to the sun.
Peacock - The Peacock's spectacular pattern of eyespots, evolved to startle or confuse predators, make it one of the most easily recognized and best known species. It is from these wing markings that the butterfly gained its common name. Undersides of the wings are very dark and look like dead leaves. A fairly large butterfly and a strong flyer.
Although a familiar visitor to garden buddleias in late summer, the Peacock's strong flight and nomadic instincts lead it to range widely through the countryside, often finding its preferred habitats in the shelter of woodland clearings, rides, and edges.
The species is widespread and has continued to expand its range in northern parts of Britain and Ireland.
White Admiral - really pleased to find this one. It has white-banded black wings and a distinctive delicate flight, which has short periods of wing beats followed by long glides.
Adults are often found nectaring on Bamble flowers in rides and clearings. It is a fairly shade-tolerant butterfly, flying in dappled sunlight to lay eggs on Honeysuckle. The White Admiral occurs widely in southern Britain and has spread rapidly since the 1920s, after an earlier contraction. However, population monitoring has shown a dramatic decline in the last 20 years, for reasons that are as yet unclear.
Canary Shoulder Thorne. Aptly named after the canary-yellow thorax, or 'shoulders', this is a fairly common species all over Britain. It has a single generation which flies from July to October, and is regularly attracted to artificial light. It frequents woodland, gardens and a range of other habitats, and the larvae feed on a variety of deciduous trees.
Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) Fairly common in Southern Britain; more local further North, frequenting mainly woodland. The larvae feed on a variety of deciduous trees, e.g. Hazel, Birch and Hornbeam. The adult is on the wing from April to June and July to September in the south (double brooded); May to June in the north.
Clouded Border. A delicate little moth, which can be disturbed from undergrowth during the day, but whose natural flight time is at night. The black and white markings show considerable variation in the wild. It is fairly commonly distributed over most of Britain, occupying woodland and moist localities, and flies between May and July.
Just a few of the butterflies and moths seen during the year, and probably the best photographed.
