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

Sandy Smith WTR, Jne 2020

Essex skipper – Thymelicus lineola

Mendips Aug 2020

Lulworth skipper – Thymelicus acteon

Bindon Hill, overlooking Lulworth Cove, 5th July 2022 on the third anniversary of “Freedom”.

Silver-spotted skipper – Hesperia comma

Aston Rowant Oxon, August 2020

Large skipper – Ochlodes sylvanus

Chicksands Wood June 2019

Subfamily Pyrginae

Dingy skipper – Erynnis tages tages

April 2019 – Twywell Gullet

Grizzled skipper – Pyrgus malvae

Bison Hill May 2019

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

Many of these dainty little beauties in Monkwood, Worcestershire, May 2022

Subfamily Coliadinae

Dark clouded yellow – Colias croceus

A chance spot, Bledlow Ridge August 2019

Common brimstone – Gonepteryx rhamni rhamni

Ubiquitous – this one at Pitsford Reservoir, August 2019

Subfamily Pierinae

Large white – Pieris brassicae

Barton Hills August 2019

Small white – Pieris (Artogeia) rapae

Hexton Chalk Pit August 2019

Green-veined white – Pieris (Artogeia) napi

Maulden Church Meadow April 2020

Orange tip – Anthocharis cardamines britannica

RSPB Greylake April 2019

Lycaenidae – hairstreaks, coppers and blues

Subfamily Theclinae

Green hairstreak – Callophrys rubi

Bison Hill May 2019

Brown hairstreak – Thecla betulae

Whitecross Green Wood, Otmoor August 2018

Purple hairstreak – Neozephyrus (Quercusia) quercus

Hickling Broad Tower, Norfolk August 2018

White-letter hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) w-album

Chicksands, Beds June 2019

Black hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) pruni

Brampton Wood, June 2022

Subfamily Lycaena

Small copper – Lycaena phlaeas eleus

Pitsford August 2019

Subfamily Polyommatinae

Small blue – Cupido minimus

Totternhoe May 2019

Silver-studded blue – Plebejus argus

RSPB Hazeley Heath July 2019

Brown argus – Aricia agestis

Maulden Wood July 2019

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

Sundon Hills July 2018

Chalkhill blue – Lysandra coridon

Sharpenhoe Clappers July 2019

Adonis blue – Lysandra bellargus

Bledlow Ridge August 2018

Holly blue – Celastrina argiolus britanna

Maulden Wood April 2020

Large blue – Phengaris arion

Daneway Banks, Gloucestershire, 7th July 2019 – celebrating the first weekend of freedom!

Riodinidae – metalmarks

Duke of Burgundy – Hamearis lucina

Totternhoe May 2020

Nymphalidae – fritillaries, nymphalids and browns

Subfamily Heliconiinae

Small pearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria (Clossiana) selene

Priddy Mineries May 2022

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

Hexton Chalk pit July 2019

Silver-washed fritillary – Argynnis paphia

Maulden Wood Auggust 2019

Subfamily Limenitidinae

White admiral – Limenitis camilla

Maulden Wod July 2019

Subfamily Apaturinae

Purple emperor – Apatura iris

Maulden Wood July 2019

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Red admiral – Vanessa atalanta

Chicksands Wood August 2019

Painted lady – Vanessa cardui

Chicksands August 2019

Small tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae

Garden August 2019

Peacock – Aglais io

Maulden Wood April 2020 – Owl’s eyes on a slightly weatherbeaten specimen on a bluebell.

Comma – Polygonia c-album

Ubiquitous – this one Chicksands Aug 2019

Marsh fritillary – Euphydryas (Eurodryas) aurinia

Barbary Castle, Wiltshire May 2021
Barbary Castle May 2021

Glanville fritillary – Melitaea cinxia

Hutchinson’s Bank, New Addington, June 2021
Hutchinson’s Bank June 2021

Heath fritillary – Melitaea athalia

Hockley Wood Essex June 2021

Subfamily Satyrinae

Speckled wood – Pararge aegeria

Ubiquitous – this one King’s Wood, Ampthill July 2019

Wall – Lasiommata megera

Calstone Down, Wilts, Aug 2020

Small mountain ringlet – Erebia epiphron

Need a sweep North at the right time, sometime…

Marbled white – Melanargia galathea serena

Danebank July 2019

Grayling – Hipparchia semele

RSPB Hazeley Heath July 2019

Gatekeeper – Pyronia tithonus britanniae

Ubiquitous – this one Maulden Aug 2019

Meadow brown – Maniola jurtina

Ubiquitous, Bison Hill July 2019

Ringlet – Aphantopus hyperantus

Ubiquitous – nice one on orchid, Daneway Banks, July 2019

Scotch ArgusErebia aethiops

Carrifran 23rd August 2023

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

Ubiquitous – Hexton Chalk pit August 2019

Large heath – Coenonympha tullia

An elusive specie! Meathorp Moss, Cumbria, July 2022