A “retirement” quest is to take photographs of all the “native” British butterflies – so this Bingo card – with some lines now completed – is a record of these endeavours. Posted with the best will, given some of the intricacies of distinguishing skippers, whites…
Now updated in August 2023 by the addition of the Scotch Argus! We found them in abundance on a magical trip to Scotland – it just leaves the elusive Mountain Ringlet, whicc we didn’t attempt this year due to other distractions and poor weather windows.
So 57 down – just the one to go? – although regional variants/new arrivals add complexity (plus the cryptic Wood White, if we ever make a timely visit to Ireland…).
Hesperiidae – skippers
Subfamily Heteropterinae
Chequered skipper – Carterocephalus palaemon
One of the re-established colony in Fineshade Wood, Northamptonshire, May 2022
Subfamily Hesperiinae
Small skipper – Thymelicus sylvestris
Essex skipper – Thymelicus lineola
Lulworth skipper – Thymelicus acteon
Bindon Hill, overlooking Lulworth Cove, 5th July 2022 on the third anniversary of “Freedom”.
Silver-spotted skipper – Hesperia comma
Large skipper – Ochlodes sylvanus
Subfamily Pyrginae
Dingy skipper – Erynnis tages tages
Grizzled skipper – Pyrgus malvae
Papilionidae – swallowtails
Subfamily Papilioninae
Swallowtail – Papilio machaon
We had previously seen in Norfolk (of course!) at Hickling Broad, fleetingly, and two at Strumpshaw fen June ’21 – but sadly too quick for the camera… Put right at Strumpshaw in June 2022 with a magical few minutes of a couple of individuals feeding and others flying by!
Pieridae – whites and yellows
Subfamily Dismorphiinae
Wood white – Leptidea sinapis sinapis
Subfamily Coliadinae
Dark clouded yellow – Colias croceus
Common brimstone – Gonepteryx rhamni rhamni
Subfamily Pierinae
Large white – Pieris brassicae
Small white – Pieris (Artogeia) rapae
Green-veined white – Pieris (Artogeia) napi
Orange tip – Anthocharis cardamines britannica
Lycaenidae – hairstreaks, coppers and blues
Subfamily Theclinae
Green hairstreak – Callophrys rubi
Brown hairstreak – Thecla betulae
Purple hairstreak – Neozephyrus (Quercusia) quercus
White-letter hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) w-album
Black hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) pruni
Subfamily Lycaena
Small copper – Lycaena phlaeas eleus
Subfamily Polyommatinae
Small blue – Cupido minimus
Silver-studded blue – Plebejus argus
Brown argus – Aricia agestis
Northern brown argus – Aricia artaxerxes
Hard to get close, but a couple tracked down at the Glorious Arnside Knott, July 2022
Common blue – Polyommatus icarus icarus
Chalkhill blue – Lysandra coridon
Adonis blue – Lysandra bellargus
Holly blue – Celastrina argiolus britanna
Large blue – Phengaris arion
Riodinidae – metalmarks
Duke of Burgundy – Hamearis lucina
Nymphalidae – fritillaries, nymphalids and browns
Subfamily Heliconiinae
Small pearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria (Clossiana) selene
Pearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria (Clossiana) euphrosyne
Wyre Forest, May 2022
High brown fritillary – Fabriciana adippe
July 2022 at Heddon Valley – when the sun finally came out on a reapeat visit the the first section of the “Exmoor’s Most Magical Butterfly Walk” that lived up to its billing with gusto!
Dark green fritillary – Speyeria aglaja
Silver-washed fritillary – Argynnis paphia
Subfamily Limenitidinae
White admiral – Limenitis camilla
Subfamily Apaturinae
Purple emperor – Apatura iris
Subfamily Nymphalinae
Red admiral – Vanessa atalanta
Painted lady – Vanessa cardui
Small tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae
Peacock – Aglais io
Comma – Polygonia c-album
Marsh fritillary – Euphydryas (Eurodryas) aurinia
Glanville fritillary – Melitaea cinxia
Heath fritillary – Melitaea athalia
Subfamily Satyrinae
Speckled wood – Pararge aegeria
Wall – Lasiommata megera
Small mountain ringlet – Erebia epiphron
Need a sweep North at the right time, sometime…
Marbled white – Melanargia galathea serena
Grayling – Hipparchia semele
Gatekeeper – Pyronia tithonus britanniae
Meadow brown – Maniola jurtina
Ringlet – Aphantopus hyperantus
Scotch Argus – Erebia aethiops
The elusive Scotch Argus – seen first on a magical afternoon at the amazingly transformed Carrifran reserve – perfect weather combined with many on the wing. Then seen throughout our 2 week roadtrip around Scotland.
Small heath – Coenonympha pamphilus
Large heath – Coenonympha tullia
An elusive specie! Meathorp Moss, Cumbria, July 2022