OVERVIEW OF THE BUTTERFLIES OF DORSET An alphabetical listing of the butterflies of Dorset with information about when and where to see them. COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Adonis Blue Lysandra bellargus When to see: 1st Brood: Early May to Mid July Peak: Early to Mid June 2nd Brood: Early August to End September. Peak: Mid August to Mid September Habitat: Sheep-grazed calcareous downland Where to see: Clubmens Down, Fontmell Down, Ballard Down, Durlston CP West, Cerne Abbas, Melbury Hill Foodplants: Horse-shoe Vetch (short) Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni When to see: Peak: End March to Mid-May and Mid-August to End September, but present nearly all year Habitat: Woodland, downland and lanes Where to see: Anywhere Foodplants: Purging or Alder Buckthorn Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Brown Argus Aricia agestis When to see: 1st brood: End April - Beginning July Peak: End May 2nd brood: End July - End September Peak: End August Habitat: Mainly Downland, some Woodland Where to see: Fontmell Down, Hod Hill, Ballard Down, Durlston CP East, Durlston CP West, Townsend Quarry, Cerne Abbas, Avon Heath CP North, Avon CP South, Badbury Rings, Stour Valley Foodplants: Rock Rose, Storksbill Behaviour: Perch/Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Brown Hairstreak Thecla Betulae When to see: End July to Early October. Peak: Mid-August to Mid-September Habitat: Hedgerows and mixed Oak/Ash woodland. Where to see: Lydlinch Common, Alners Gorse Foodplants: Blackthorn Behaviour: ? COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Chalkhill Blue Lysandra coridon MALE FEMALE When to see: July to End September. Peak: Mid July to End of August Habitat: Chalk/limestone downland Where to see: Cashmoor, Clubmens Down, Fontmell Down, Hod Hill, Cerne Abbas, Portland Tout, Badbury Rings, Bindon Hill Foodplants: Horseshoe Vetch (tall) Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Clouded Yellow Colias croceus When to see: Early May to Early June. Mid July to End October. Peak: August and October Habitat: Flower-rich downland, and near the coast Where to see: A migrant species that varies in numbers from year to year, but recently found to be breeding on the coast around Bournemouth. Foodplants: Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Comma Polygonia c-album When to see: Mid March to Mid May. Early to Mid June. July and Early August. End August to End October. Peak: April, July and September. Habitat: Lanes, woodland Where to see: Anywhere Foodplants: Nettles (in hedge), Wych Elm Behaviour: Perch COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Common Blue Polyommatus icarus MALE FEMALE When to see: Mid May to Early July. Mid July to Mid September. End September to End October. Peak: June and August to Mid September. Habitat: Downland, open rough ground Where to see: Cashmoor, Clubmens Down, Fontmell Down, Girdlers Coppice, Lydlinch Common, Melbury Down, Sovell Down, Ballard Down, Durlston CP East, Durlston CP West, Townsend Quarry, Cerne Abbas, Kingcombe Pound, Kingcombe Redholm, Portland Broadcroft, Portland Tout, Powerstock North, Powerstock Railway, Avon Heath CP South, Badbury Rings, Ham Common Foodplants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Restharrow Behaviour: Perch/Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja When to see: Mid June to End August. Peak: July to Mid-August Habitat: Downland Where to see: Melbury Down, Ballard Down, Badbury Rings, Durlston CP East, Durlston CP West Foodplants: Dog and Hairy Violet Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages When to see: April to Early July. Peak: End May - End June Habitat: Open/rough ground, hillsides Where to see: Cashmoor, Clubmens Down, Fontmell Down, Hod Hill, Melbury Down, Ballard Down, Durlston CP East, Durlston CP West, Cerne Abbas, Portland Tout, Lankham Bottom, Southfield Hogcliffe Foodplants: Birdsfoot Trefoil Behaviour: Perch COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina When to see: Early May to End June. Peak: Mid-May to Mid-June Habitat: Downland, woodland rides/clearings Where to see: Private sites only Foodplants: Cowslips, Primroses Behaviour: Perch COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola When to see: July and August. Peak: End July - Mid-August Habitat: Open/rough ground, clearings Where to see: Stour Valley, Bere Regis By-pass, Alners Gorse, Hatch Pond Foodplants: Grass, Cocksfoot, Creeping Soft Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus MALE FEMALE When to see: Early July to Early September. Peak: Mid July and August Habitat: Lanes, hedgerows, long grass Where to see: Anywhere Foodplants: Grass, Meadows, Couch, Fescues Behaviour: Perch COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Grayling Hipparchia semele When to see: July to End September. Peak: July and August Habitat: Heathland, some downland Where to see: Hethfelton Wood, Higher Hyde, Studland, Portland Tout, Ham Common, Upton Heath North, Upton Heath South, Kinson Common Foodplants: Grass, Fescue, Hair Behaviour: Patrol COMPILED BY THE DORSET BRANCH OF BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION © 2009 Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP, Tel: 01929 400 209 Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi When to see: Mid April to Early July. Peak: Mid-May to Mid-June Habitat: Downland, scrubby commons Where to see: Cashmoor, Clubmens Down, Fontmell Down, Hod Hill, Melbury Down, Higher Hyde, Oakers