Butterflies of Dartmoor
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Small Skipper Large Skipper Dingy Skipper Butterflies of Dartmoor National Park Thymelicus sylvestris Ochlodes sylvanus Erynnis tages Upper side solid orange, Chequered pattern visible on Its grey-brown wings are mottled with no mottling. Males have a both sides of the wings. intricate brown markings on both curved line (sex brand) The male has a prominent sides, a row of small white spots Identification Guide on the forewing. Tips of black line (sex brand) on on the upperwings, and a pale grey- antennae are orange. the forewing. white fringe on the edges of the wings. Wing span range Dartmoor Star Species Please note: photos not to scale 30mm 33 – 35mm 29mm Brimstone Large White Small White Gonepteryx rhamni Clouded Yellow Pieris brassicae Pieris rapae Grizzled Skipper Colias croceus Pyrgus malvae When perched resembles Conspicuous black tips Black wing tips (but Rests with wings closed. Mustard a leaf in shape and colour. Its wings are black or dark brown, to the upperside of the less extensive than on Large yellow with ringed white mark in 185dpi Upperside of the male with a chequerboard forewing extending about White). Males have a single black centre of hindwing and black dot buttercup yellow, female pale lemon yellow. of white spots. half way down the wing edge. spot on upperside of forewing (unlike in centre of forewing. Central spot in both wings. Female can 27mm Females have double black dots on the forewings. Large White); females have two. 57 – 62mm be confused with Large White in flight. 60mm 63 – 70mm 48mm Brown Hairstreak Green-veined white..... White-letter Hairstreak Thecla betulae Pieris napi Green Hairstreak Satyrium w-album Orange-tip Callophrys rubi Anthocharis cardamines The butterfly usually rests with its wings Veins visible on upperside but most Orange margin to underside Green underside distinguishes closed. The underwings feature two conspicuous on underside, green on pale Male forewing tips bright orange, of hindwing and a distinctive this butterfly from all other wavy white streaks with small tails on the yellow background. First brood (May) female wing tips black. Underside ‘tail’ to wing shape. White line British butterflies. Upperside hindwings. The uppersides are brown; is smaller and paler than its of hind wing mottled green. straddles both wings with ‘W’ plain brown, only seen in flight. the male’s with a smallish yellow mark offspring (July onwards). 45 – 50mm shape on hindwing. 33mm and the female’s with a large, orange mark. 50mm 36mm 38 – 40mm Small Copper Brown Argus Common Blue Holly Blue Purple Hairstreak Lycaena phlaeas Aricia agestis Polyommatus icarus Celastrina argiolus Favonius quercus Coppery-orange forewings Can be mistaken for female Male upperside bright blue, females Easily distinguished Underwings grey with white streak with black margins and spots, Common Blue. Upperside solid dusky brown with blue scaling and orange from Common Blue and small tails, upper wings brown. Males brown hindwings with orange brown ground colour without blue scaling; markings to wing margins. Markings by distinctive silvery blue have a purple sheen, females have a margins. Male smaller than female lacks spots on underside forewing on underside of forewing closer to underwing with black spots. purple mark on forewing. and forewings more pointed. nearer than halfway to the body. body than those on Brown Argus. Female upperwing with broad black margin. 37 – 39mm 32 – 35mm 29mm 35mm 35mm Red Admiral White Admiral Painted Lady Small Tortoiseshell Peacock Vanessa atalanta Limenitis camilla Vanessa cardui Aglais urticae Aglais io Distinctive black, white It has white-banded black Chequered orange and brown markings Upperside bright orange with Orangey-red ground colour with and red markings on wings and a distinctive with white spots in top half of forewing. black markings, a white spot distinctive ‘eyes’ on the upperside upperside; underside delicate flight, which has Freshly emerged butterflies salmon-pink, on the forewing and blue of both wings. Underside forewing mottled to offer short periods of wing beats colour fading with time. Underside margins to both wings. Underside almost black and very good camouflage. followed by long glides. mottled and well camouflaged. is dull and well camouflaged. well camouflaged. 50-56mm 67 – 72mm 60 – 64mm 50 – 56mm 50 – 56mm 63 – 69mm Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary High Brown Fritillary Comma Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene Argynnis adippe Polygonia c-album Boloria euphrosyne Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja Can be confused with Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Large, fast flying butterfly; bright orange Upperside orange with Upperside chequered pattern of black Upperside black triangles along wing edge with chequered black markings. Very similar to High Brown Fritillary. black markings, distinctive scalloped markings on orange background. are joined to dark wing border. Underside Underside hindwing, row of Differs on underside with wing shape. Underside mottled Underside hindwing with small central hindwing black spot is large white spots with black outline distinctive green wash and brown, with a white comma black spot and margins with 7 silver and silver pearls bordered ringed in brown, not present in absence of brown-ringed spots. mark on the hindwing. pearls bordered with red chevrons. with black chevrons. similar Dark Green Fritillary. 63 – 69mm 55 – 60mm 44 – 47mm 41 – 44mm 60 – 67mm Silver-washed Fritillary Speckled Wood Wall Marbled White Argynnis paphia Marsh Fritillary Pararge aegeria Lasiommata megera Melanargia galathea Euphydrias aurinia The largest of the fritillary butterflies. Upperside deep brown with Similar to a fritillary, distinguished by Distinctive black and white Upperside with yellow, orange Males richer orange, with four black creamy-yellow markings on both wings. the ‘eye’ spot on the forewings and markings. Underside pattern and brown chequered markings. sex brands (thickened veins) on the Three black eye spots with white pupils three or four ‘eye’ spots on the similar on both sexes, hindwing Females larger and paler forewing. Underside of both on hind wing, one on forewing. hindwing. Underside dull, mottled black on male and than males. sexes with silver washes or streaks. Underside mottled pale brown. brown, ‘eye’ spots visible. browny yellow on female. 42 – 48mm 72 – 76mm 47 – 50mm 44 – 46mm 53 – 58mm Meadow Brown Grayling Gatekeeper Maniola jurtina Hipparchia semele Pyronia tithonus Ringlet Small Heath Aphantopus hyperantus Coenonympha pamphilus Males chocolate brown with orange-ringed Usually rests with wings closed. Distinguished from the similar ‘eye’ spot on forewing; females with ‘eye’ spot Upperside dark brown (female Usually rests with wings closed. Underside dull brown and well Meadow Brown by orange colouring on and splash of orange on forewing. Underside paler than male), with white Smaller and paler than other brown camouflaged, two prominent upperside of both forewing and with prominent ‘eye’ spots on forewing fringe. Several ‘eye’ spots on butterflies. Underside of forewing ‘eye’ spots on the forewing visible hindwing. White spots on underside and two small black spots upper and underside. pale orange with black ‘eye’ spot. on underside. hindwing (black on Meadow Brown). noticeable on hindwing. 48 – 52mm 34 – 38mm 55 – 60mm 40 – 47mm 50 – 55mm Flight times Status/ Butterflies Day-flying moths Butterfly Regional Habitat Trend* Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Small Skipper C / U Grassy areas, woodland glades and rides If you see what looks like a butterfly on Dartmoor but it is not in the in decline Large Skipper C / U Areas with long grass, scrubby areas, woodland rides identification guide overleaf, it could be a day-flying moth. There Dingy Skipper R / NA Open, sunny habitats including woodland rides and clearings, heathland and quarries are over 100 species of day-flying moth in Britain, compared to 59 British butterflies remain a cause for Grizzled Skipper R / NA Open, sunny habitats including woodland rides and clearings, heathland and quarries species of butterfly. Some of the more common ones you might Butterflies of conservation concern, with just over Clouded Yellow M / NA Sunny, open, flowery meadows come across are included below. half of our native species in decline. Four butterflies and over 60 Brimstone C / I Scrubby grassland, hedgerows, woodland rides or glades moths became extinct in the last century. Butterfly Conservation There are a number of differences between most moths and Large White C / U Gardens and allotments aims to halt and reverse these declines by working closely with butterflies, but there is no hard and fast rule which separates them. Small White C / I Gardens, allotments and fields of Oil-seed Rape conservation partners and landowners to create a world rich in In general moths are active at night and butterflies are active during Dartmoor Green-veined White C / I Hedgerows, riverbanks and damp vegetation butterflies for future generations to enjoy. the day; moths tend to hold their wings flat against their body when Orange-tip C / U Damp, grassy habitats Butterfly Conservation has been conserving butterflies on resting, while butterflies tend to rest with wings held vertically; National Park Dartmoor for 20 years. By working with partners, including and the antennae of butterflies tend to be clubbed, rather than the Brown Hairstreak R / NA Hedgerows, scrub and woodland conservation charities, landowners and farmers, we have turned feathery tips of many moths’ antennae. Green Hairstreak L / U Moorland, heathland, chalk downland, woodland rides the fortunes of some of our most threatened species around. Purple Hairstreak L / NA Oak trees in mature woodland, parkland and hedgerows Pocket Guide White-letter Hairstreak R / NA Elm in hedgerows and woodlands Above right: Marsh Fritillary. JIM ASHER Cinnabar Small Copper C / U Unimproved grassland, woodland rides and glades dark ground colour with strip of bright red Brown Argus R / NA Heathland, woodland clearings, road verges, chalk grassland along the top of the forewing. Underwing Common Blue C / U Sunny sheltered areas , woodland clearings, grassy areas is also bright red in colour.