Orange-tip. Brimstone

Transcription

1 Orange-tip Jnl/;()dhrris (..lrd(.unillcs A medium-small butterfly, with a wingspan of about 45mm. Males are very distinctive, white above with extensive orange wingtips edged with black: females lack the orange and have a large,' black tip. Below, the hindwings a,'e marbled,,'athe,- like a Bath White, though the upper surface has much less black than that species. Habitat Flowery, often damp places, such as wet meadows and wood bol'ders. Its main food-plants include Cuckoo Flower and Ga,'lic Mustard. Status and distribution A common species th,'oughout the area, except the extreme north, but,'arely abundant. Season 4-6. Clouded Yellow (,'()h.b O'()d\l Beautiful and distinctive butterflies (as a group), with a wingspan of about 50 55mm. The wings a,'e bright yellow-orange above, with broad black margins: the undersides are yellow, with small black spots and a double white spot on the hindwings, ringed with pink. Habitat Sunny, flowery places, especially common in Lucerne fields. Food-plants include Lucerne, vetches and other legumes., occurring throughout the area; it migrates into the area from the south, breeds in good years, but does not survive the northern winters; very variable in abundance. Season * Pale Clouded Yellow C. hyale is very similar, but slightly smaller and with pale yellow upper surfaces to wings (almost white in female). Similar habitats to Clouded Yellow, though rather less common or widespread. Rare vagrant in UK. * Berger's Clouded Yellow C. australis is very hard to separate ff'ompale Clouded Yellow, though upper hindwing of Berger's is usually brightet' yellow in males. Still sometimes considered as a variety of Pale. Similat' habitats, though generally more southern. Brimstone C;()/!cjJ/cryx rhdjjllli An aw'active and distinctive lat'ge butterfly: wingspan about 60mm. Both sexes have 'leaf-shaped' wings: males are bt'ight yellow allover (the original 'buttet' fly') and could not easily be confused with any other species; females are greenish-white, though their shape and lack of black separates them from the 'whites'. Habitat A very mobile species, mainly occurring in open woodland and scrub, and rough flowery places. The lan'al foodplants are Alder Buckthorn and Purging Buckthorn. and common throughout, except N Britain. Season 3-10, usually with a gap in midsummer; adults hibernate and may emerge on warm winter days. Wood White f.efl!ide,) sillaf)is A small delicate butterfly, with a wingspan of about 40mm. Basically white with greyish markings and males have black tips to forewings; no black spots. Flight is much more delicate and fluttery than Small White. Habitat Sheltered flowery places such as woodland rides. through most of the area, though very local in the Low Countries, and absent from N Britain; common in Ireland. Season 5-9, usually with a gap in midsummer in anyone place. 122 LEP'DOPTERA

2 HAIRSTREAKS Members of the large family Lycaenidae (which also includes the Blues and Coppers). The hairstreaks are quite a distinctive group, generally brownish in colour, with short 'tails' on the hindwings, and there are often white streaks on the undersides of the wings. Brown Thee/a belli/ae A small butterfly; wingspan about 35mm. Upper wing surfaces brown (with a large orange patch on the female's forewing), but undersurfaces essentially orange, streaked with white. Habitat Open woodland, scrub and hedgerows; most frequently seen high in the trees, occasionally coming down to flowers. Inconspicuous. The main foodplant is Blackthorn. Status and distribution Very local in England, north to the Midlands; widespread, though never common, on the Continent. Season 7-9. Purple Quercltsia quercus Similar in size to Brown, with typical hairstreak shape, but with grey underwings and iridescent purple-blue upper surfaces (overall in males, but at base of forewings only in females). Habitat Older woodland areas, especially where mature oaks are present. Tends to keep high in the trees, only rarely coming down. Oak is the main food-plant. throughout, except for N Britain. Quite common, though easily overlooked. * liex Nordmannia A predominantly i/icis brown hairstreak, though both sexes have white lines and orange dots below; the female has an orange spot on the upper surface of the forewing. Habitat Open woodland and scrub, visiting flowers more readily than most hairstreaks. north to S Scandinavia, but very local in the north of its range. White-letter SlrY"HJI1idia w-al/jllii1 Slightly smaller than the above hairstreaks; generally brown, with orange below, and white streaks partly in the form of a 'W' hence the Latin and English names. Habitat Open woodland and hedgerows, where Elm is present. The food-plant is Elm, and it rarely strays far from them. Most often seen up in the trees, but does come down to Bramble and Privet flowers. Status and distribution Local in S Britain; more widespread on the Continent, though never common, and absent from some areas. See Black, below. Black SlrYll1011idia prlmi A predominantly brown hairstreak, with a wingspan of about 35mm. Both sexes similar, almost always seen with their wings closed; the undersides are golden-brown, with a white line and a broad orange band towards the edge, fringed with black dots. Can resemble White-letter, but these rows of black dots are much more distinct in Black. Habitat Woodland edges and clearings, or old hedges near woodland. Its main food-plant is Blackthorn (or, less often, other species of Prunus), and it does not move far from it. Status and distribution Very local in the UK, only in the SE English Midlands. More widespread on the Continent, but local and absent from many western areas. 124 LEPIDOPTERA

3 Green Cdlullhrys ml,i A small butterfly, with a wingspan of 30--3Smm; similar in shape to other hairstreaks, but with the 'tails' much reduced. The undersides of the wings are an unmistakable iridescent green, with an interrupted white streak; the dull brown upper surfaces are rarely seen. Habitat A variety of habitats, including heath land, pastures and open woodland, reflecting its wide range of food-plants, which include Bilberry, Dyer's Greenweed, Rock-rose and various legumes. throughout the area, though rather local; rare in northern Britain. Season 4-7. BLUES AND COPPERS The remainder of the family Lycaenidae is made up of these 2 groups which are, as their name suggests, generally blue or coppery in appearance. More extreme examples of coppers and blues are quite distinct, but some species, and especially some females, overlap. They are all small butterflies, frequently with underwings heavily dotted black, often edged with orange. Small Copper I. YCLlCII<lp!J/acas An attractive little butterfly, with a wingspan of 30--3Smm. Generally orange in appearance, with forewings above being orange, dotted and edged with black; hindwings are brown edged with orange; below, the wings are orange, dotted with black, though rather variable. Habitat Rough, sunny, flowery places, including pastures and heaths, wherever its most frequent food-plant - Sheep's Sorrel - occurs. and moderately common throughout the area, though rare or declining in intensively agricultural parts. Season 4-9 in several generations. * Sooty Copper Heodes tityrus is similar in size and shape, but much darker brown - males are almost all dark brown. Widespread on ~he Continent from N Germany southwards. large Copper l.)'cllclhl dis/hlr A distinctly larger insect; wingspan up to 4Smm. Very strongly orange-coloured, with upper surfaces of wings almost entirely so, edged with black; undersides appear more greyish, because the hindwings (which are most visible) are grey, dotted black and edged with orange. Habitat Damp grassy places such as fens, where its main food-plant, Great Water Dock, occurs. Status and distribution Very rare, introduced, in the UK, in E Anglia only. On the Continent, mainly in central Europe; absent from much of W France and Scandinavia. Season 6-9. * Scarce Copper Heodes virgaureae has males that look very similar above, but are brown spotted black below; females are heavily spotted with black above. Similar habitats, but more local and eastern. * Purple-edged Copper I'Ll/aC(lchrys()/,hLlI111S hip/ju/h()c Broadly similar in form to Large Copper, though smaller in size and, as the name suggests, with a purple edge to the hindwing, and a broad dark edge on both wings. The undersides are pale grey-brown, with fine dark spots. Habitat In damp fields and poor fens, feeding on species of dock and Polygonum. mainly eastern on the Continent, commonest in hilly areas. Season LEPIDOPTERA

4 * Short-tailed Blue El'cres argiadcs A small butterfly, about 25mm across. Upper sides of wings almost wholly blue (male), edged darker, while females are brown; both sexes have a distinct short tail on the hindwings: undersides pearly-grey with fine lines of black dots, and orange on hindwings. Habitat Flowery, gras~y places, feeding on various legumes. on the Continent, but absent from much of the north-west. Season 5-8. * Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus is rather similar, but the tails are more conspicuous, with 2 black dots on the wing close to them. Undersides have a latticed pattern. Similar habitats, from central Germany southwards r Small or Little Blue ~ Long-tailed Blue. ClIpido liiillillllls As the name suggests, a very small butterfly, with a wingspan of about 25mm, though variable in size. The upper surfaces of the wings are uniform in colour, bluish-black in males, browner in females, with a white fringe. Undersides blue with black dots, no orange. Habitat Dry, flowery grassland, where the food-plant Kidney Vetch occurs. throughout the area, but rather local, and absent from some parts. Season 5-7. Holly Blue Ce/astrilld argio/lls A medium-sized blue; wingspan about 35mm. The upper surfaces of the wings arc clear blue, edged with black (narrowly in males, more broadly in females, which can look very dark): the undersides are grey blue with black dots, no orange. Habitat Open woods, hedges and gardens, wherever the two food-plants, Holly and Ivy, are present. The spring and sum mer generations alternate between these two food-plants respectively. throughout, though absent from N Britain: rarely common, and prone to wide fluctuations in numbers. Season 4-9, with a gap in the middle. * Green-underside Blue G/oucopsyche alexis is slightly larger, similar in pattern but darker blue above, and the greyish underside has an iridescent greenish patch on the hindwing. Absent from the UK and much of NW Europe, widespread elsewhere. Chalkhill Blue l.ysdlldrd coridoll A large blue: wingspan almost 40mm. Males are very distinctive, pale silvery blue above, with a dark margin and a chequered fringe; females are brown. The underwings are paler than most species, heavily spotted with black, and orange towards the hindwing margins. Habitat Flowery chalk or limestone hillsides, where Horseshoe Vetch or related small legumes occur. Status and distribution In UK, confined to S England:a southern species on the Continent, from central Germany southwards. 128 LEPIDOPTERA

5 Silver-studded Blue 1'/"/;";115 arglls A smallish blue; wingspan about 30mm. Upper surface of male is blue, with a broad black border on the forewing, and a white fringe; females are browner, with a band of orange spots neal" the edge. The undersides are pearly-grey, with orange spots; a few of these on the hindwing have blue 'studs' -a distinctive feature, shared only by the Idas Blue. Habitat Most frequent on heaths, less common in grassy places; heather and various legumes are the food-plants. strongly southern in the UK, widespread throughout the Continent. * Idas Blue Lycaeides idos is almost identical, differing in tiny details such as the absence of a spine on the front tibia. Widespread in rough, flowery places, especially acid and/or upland. * Mazarine Blue C)'L1lliris se}}lidrglfs Rather similar in size and colour to the Silver-studded Blue, though the undersides of the wings are greyish-blue with dark spots, completely lacking any orange markings. Habitat Flowery rough grasslands. The larvae feed on various legumes. Status and distribution Became extinct in the UK at the end of the 19th century. Widespread throughout the rest of N Europe. Brown Argus i\rida d,f.!, 'stis A medium-sized blue; wingspan is about 30mm. Both sexes are similar, basically brown, very similar to females of other' blues such as the Common Blue (see p.132). However, they are a clearer brown. lacking any blue tinge, with bright orange spots on both wings and a black spot in the centre of the forewing; the undersides are much paler. Habitat Sunny, rough, flowery places, where rock-rose, storks bills or cranesbills are abundant. strongly southern in the UK; mainly southern on the Continent, reaching N Germany. Season 5-8. Northern Brown Argus (or Mountain Argus) A. ortoxerxes is very similar (and still sometimes described as a variant of Brown Argus). The orange spots are smaller, and there is usually a white spot on each forewing. A butterfly of northern and mountain areas; very local in the UK from Derbyshire northwards. 130 LEPIDOPTERA