Nymphalidae - Aristocrats, Browns & Fritillaries

Flocking around Buddleias and Ice Plants in gardens and on Thistles and Nettles in the countryside, Small Tortoiseshells have become some of the most familiar of British butterflies. They get their name from their brightly speckled wings which vary greatly in their black pattern from one to another.

The Large Tortoiseshell is now presumed extinct in Britain, and is only possible to be seen only in the south-east of England. Until the Second World War it was well established in parts of Essex and Suffolk, and even earlier it lived as far north as Yorkshire.

For butterfly lovers, the Peacock is a particular favourite because of its rich colours and its ability to live and breed in patches of stinging nettles in corners of the garden. In June, the black, hairy caterpillars are easily found on the nettle leaves.

The Comma is a master of disguise. Not only does the caterpillar appear to be a unfortunate bird's dropping but the adult butterfly is able to hide so successfully during the Winter that few naturalists have seen its resting place. It probably hibernates in hollow trees.

Nymphalidae- Aristocrats, Browns & Fritillaries

The name 'Aristocrats' was in the early days of entomology, given to the British family of butterflies with the most colour and strong flight.

Subsequently, names like White Admiral, Painted Lady and Purple Emperor followed. These, together with the Fritillaries and Browns make up the largest of British butterfly families (Nymphalidae or 'brush-footed' butterflies)

Each May and June, Painted Ladies migrate to Great Britain from south-west Europe and North Africa, a distance of more than 600 miles (1,000km). In some years they are scarce, in others extremely common.

The bright colours of the butterfly earned it the 18th Century name of the Admirable, from which its modern name evolved.

Its wings so resembled the robes and livery colours of noblemen and dignitaries that it was also called the Alderman

This particular butterfly, which flies around the highest branches of Oak trees, has attracted the attention of poets and tempted entomologists into lyrical description. The country poet, The Rev. George Crabbe, wrote 200 years ago; 'Above the sovereign oak, a sovereign skims, the Purple Emp'ror, strong in wing and limb'.

The butterflies gather in sunny, secluded pockets of woodland throughout July. The males establish territories by making repeated powerful flights around their patch , one moment swooping low over the vegetation, the next soaring up to perch high in the trees.

This is exquisite butterfly, with wings like maroon velvet, was first discovered in Britain in August 1748, near the village of Camberwell, just 2 miles south of London Bridge. It was attracted to the Willow trees that grew abundantly there, and took its name from the village, which later became absorbed into London.

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Browns (Satyridae)

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Great British Lepidoptera

Large Tortoiseshell (Extinct)

Small Tortoiseshell

Peacock

Comma

Nymphalidae- Aristocrats, Browns & Fritillaries

Painted Lady

Red Admiral

Purple Emperor

White Admiral

Camberwell Beauty

Dark Green Fritillary

Silver-washed Fritillary

High Brown Fritillary

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Marsh Fritillary

Glanville Fritillary

Heath Fritillary

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper

Browns (Satyridae)

Small Heath

Large Heath

Ringlet

Wall Brown

Scotch Argus

Mountain Ringlet

Speckled Wood

Marbled White

Grayling