Photographs of Butterfies are below. Moths are on a separate page.
Butterflies and moths belong to the large group of insects called Lepidoptera from the Greek lepis meaning scale and pteron meaning wing. Scales are modified hairs and usually contain a pigment that gives the butterfly or moth its colour. But the surface of a scale can be finely ridged which can become close enough to cause interference with the light reflected from the wing to produce their striking iridescent sheens.
The division of Lepidoptera into moths and butterflies is one of common usage and observation. There is no scientific separation of the two. Indeed, in the Linnaean system of classification, butterflies are situated around the middle of the listing for moths. There is as much variation within different groups of moths as there is between moths and butterflies. In other European countries there is less distinction; for example, the French call moths “butterflies of the night”. In Europe there is a convenient way to distinguish between moths and butterflies… all our butterflies have clubbed antennae. Moths have a variety of shapes and only the burnet moths have clubbed antennae.
Note. Recent research (BMC Evolutionary Biology 9: 208) at a molecular level has shown that butterflies are more closely associated with micro-moths rather than with macro-moths as was previously thought.
In the UK we can find about 70 species of butterfly, about 1600 species of micro-moth with wingspans as small as 5-7mm and about 900 species of macro-moth with wingspans of 60mm as have the Hawkmoths. Some tropical species have wingspans of 300mm!
The Butterflies of Ox Close. The Brimstone butterfly is a regular but not yet frequent sight. To encourage this species to breed in the wood, in 2003 we planted about 50 saplings of Alder Buckthorn – the larval food plant. In 2009 we were rewarded with their breeding.
Brimstone butterfly. (Gonepteryx rhamni)
Egg of the Brimstone. Confirmation of their breeding in Ox Close.
Brimstone chrysalis. An empty pupal case of a Brimstone. The supporting silk thread can just be seen.
Other butterflies; click on a thumbnail to see a larger image
The Comma (Polygonia c-album) butterfly has moved northwards over the last 30 years and now occurs frequently in the wood. One of its foodplants is Elm.
Common Blues, (Polyommatus icarus). A mating pair of Common Blue butterflies.
The Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) can be identified by its high flying characteristics. This one is taking salt from a bird dropping.
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).
Male Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines). The female does not have the orange tips to its wings and is very much like a Green-veined White but the mottled underside is characteristic.
The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a migrant and its numbers can vary greatly from year to year. 2009 was a particularly good year.
The Peacock (Inachis io). Can be seen in the Spring when over-wintering adults come out of hibernation and again in Summer.
Red Admiral (Vanessa atlanta) is another species that can survive the winter by hibernating.
White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album). There is a resident colony in Ox Close. Elm is the larval foodplant.
Purple Hairstreaks (Favonius quercus) can best be seen by looking above oak trees growing in sheltered but sunny locations. Evening is the best time to look. This species was seen for the first time in the wood during 2013 and was new also for the parish.
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris). The black line on the forewing shows that this is a male.
The Large Skipper (Ochlodes venatus) is a grassland species.
At times, the Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) can be the most common butterfly seen along the rides in the wood.
The Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) like the Comma has benefited from climate change and is now very common locally.
The Wall (Lasiommata megera) is now becoming quite uncommon.
The Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus). A mating pair.
The Small White (Pieris rapae). This was a lucky photo as it landed just as I was photographing the Field Scabious.
Large White (Pieris brassicae) is the largest of our three common “whites”. The larvae feed on brassicas, hence its common name “Cabbage White”.
The Green-veined White (Pieris napi) is locally the commonest of the three whites.
Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia). Seen for the first time on 12th July ’19
Brown Argus, underside. This sp. now feeds on wild geraniums.
Brown Argus Aricia agestis, first seen in Ox Close 3rd Aug ’19
This Small Tortoiseshel has an aberration where its orange patches are replaced by white!
