8 SKYLARKS Factsheet Butterflies (For Print).Pdf

zone 5 Red admiral butterfflliesfl Vanessa atalanta easy to find Dark chocolate with a fiery red ribbon Skylarks Nature Reserve emblazoned across each upper wing makes this one of our most handsome and distinguished insects. Migrating zone ©Chris Bradbury from North Africa and Southern 4, 5 Europe the female will then lay her eggs here when a fresh batch of butterflies emerge in July and can be seen up until late OnFind creeping me thistle November. in late summer and ©John Black flowering Ivy in the autumn. Common blue Polyommatus icarus A distinctly lack lustre title for one with such Peacock sparkle. The male’s brilliant iridescent violet- Aglais io blue wings finely edged in black with a white When the wings are folded up it can resemble a dead zone margin, play in stark contrast to the female 3 leaf, but when opened, often with a hiss made by whose wings are brown, edged with orange the wings rubbing together, the striking signature dots with a dusting of blue eye patterns are revealed, with a dazzling palette of close to and over the body. red, purple, blue and InFind late summer, me honey suckle yellow. roosting head These eye patterns are down on grass OnFind knapweed, me teasel and thought to startle any stems in meadows. creeping thistle in summer, would be predator. willow blossom in spring or even basking in the first warm sun of February. ©Sean Browne zone 1, 3, 5 Comma Polygonia c-album With ragged scalloped edges to the wings, butterfflhard toliesfl find that when opened give this delicate butterfly Skylarks Nature Reserve the appearance of a small tortoiseshell that has been pecked at by a bird. However, with its wings closed it resembles AnyFind time me of year, even warm a brittle dead leaf with a winter days, at the edges of small curved white mark woodland and in clearings, punctuating its name. or feeding on overripe fruit such as blackberries in ©Sean Browne autumn. ©Neil Pinder ©Neil Always alighting with its wings closed this species is a master of disguise. When at rest amongst Brimstone foliage it perfectly mimics a leaf in both shape, Gonepteryx rhamni colour and even the pattern of veins. The soft Large skipper sulphur yellow of the male’s wings is commonly Ochlodes sylvanus believed to be the origin of the word butterfly as in Whilst large in name this stocky treacle zone “the fly that is the colour of butter”. In all fairness brown butterfly has a wing span that is less 3 both male and female than the width of one wing of a red admiral. possess a hint of green. Find me Often mistaken for a moth, possibly due to Visiting primroses their classic ‘V’ shaped jet fighter resting and bramble in pose, this small butterfly is sometimes found spring or teasel and in the company of its smaller relatives, thistle in autumn. the Essex skipper and small skipper (also found at Skylarks Nature Reserve), and can be identified by the zone chequered tile patterns 6 on the upper side and SittingFind onme sunlit grasses underside of the wing. and vegetation, or gambling along woodland rides from May to July. ©Matt Berry Brown argus ©John Hawkins Aricia agestis A silvery blue flight can lead the eye to believe it has seen a female common blue, yet on abutterffl real find liesfl landing with wings open we are treated to Skylarks Nature Reserve a feast of rich chocolate brown, with fiery tangerine orange spots dotting the outer wing, zone all hemmed in pristine white. Also worth 3 Green hairstreak noting is that the Callophrys rubi female common Find me blue often lacks In a range of habitats from orange dots on the woodland clearings to upper wing and has heathland and verges from a dusting of blue May to September. towards the base of her wings. ©Simon Jenkins zone 3, 4 Painted lady Vanessa cardui An elegant powerful flier with wings of a colour In flight this secretive butterfly, sporting a somewhere between marmalade orange and chestnut brown upper-side to its wings can salmon pink, the tips of which appear dipped easily be missed, but on landing becomes in black, then decorated with white spots. an iridescent green jewel. Standing sentry Migrating from North Africa each year, often amongst hawthorn leaves, the male devotes in spectacular his time to guarding his numbers. 2009 territory, dashing out had one of the Find me to confront any passing Find me In sheltered warm largest recorded From May to October intruders. shrubby areas favouring migrations when worshipping the warmth hawthorn and gorse from an estimated 20 of the sun on ground and May to June. million butterflies rocks, or in other warm arrived in the UK. places where flowers are in abundance. zone 2 ©Simon Jenkins.

Load more