(01)Clouded Yellow Butterfly [Colias croceus]. There are two other additional species of clouded yellows, namely Pale Clouded Yellow, colias hyale and Berger's Clouded Yellow, colias alfacariensis. All of these species are regarded as migrants to the UK from warmer countries in the spring. With favourable conditions their offspring put in an appearance in the autumn. Some are believed to winter here in the caterpillar state but unless the winter is mild, few survive. A popular food for the caterpillar is clover.

(02)Brimstone Butterfly [Gonepteryx rhamni]. To view another photograph, illustrating a male brimstone sucking nectar with its proboscis clearly extended and to read the attached notes       ..... Click on  » footnote .

(03)Comma Butterfly [Polygonia c-album]. Recognised by its jagged wing shape and the comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hind wings. A native butterfly and one of the first to appear in the spring following its hibernation as an adult. It hibernates on tree trunks or dead vegetation and with its wings closed together resembles a dead leaf. Its numbers have revived in the last hundred years or so, as the climate has become warmer and the caterpillar switched its foodplant from hops to nettles and currants. New generations are on the wing during July and again in September.

(04)Comma Butterfly [Polygonia c-album]. The September butterflies can often be found feeding on windfall or over-ripe juicy fruit before their hibernation. The photo illustrates a comma feeding on over-ripe blackberries. A group of three had fed on this bush in the sunshine for over half an hour and at the end of the period seemed in an overindulged state to the extent that I could touch their wings with very little reaction. They eventually flew off more than happy!

(05)Green-Veined White Butterfly [Pieris napi]. The veins on the underside of the butterflies wings are pronounced and tinged with green or black. It is on the wing in the spring and again in August and September. Its favourite haunts are on the sunny side of woodlands. Seasonal variations of colour do occur and sometimes it is very cream in colour rather than white. Particularly partial to members of the wallflower family for laying eggs and feeding on the nectar of the flowers.

(06)Large White Butterfly [Pieris brassicae]. A native species, commonly referred to as a cabbage white, first appear at the end of April having wintered as a chrysalis. Their numbers are frequently boosted by migrants from Europe. They invariably lay their eggs on plants of the brassica family, where vast numbers of their caterpillars can be seen munching away, to the displeasure of gardeners.      ..... Click on  » footnote  for a picture of the caterpillar.

(07)Marbled White Butterfly [Melanargia galathea]. Frequently gathered in groups on rough fields or grassy slopes near woodland. A busy butterfly alighting for only a few seconds to feed on a flower before flitting off again. The caterpillars feed on most varieties of grasses and unusually the chrysalis is unsuspended or attached in any way, being placed amongst the grassroots.

(08)Meadow Brown Butterfly [Maniola jurtina]. A very abundant butterfly seen everywhere in the country from grasslands, hayfields, roadside edges to woodland clearings from about June to October.      ..... Click on  » footnote  for another picture of the meadow brown.

(09)Painted Lady Butterfly [Vanessa cardui]. An abundant immigrant from North Africa first appearing in this country in May but usually occur singly and patrol over the same stretch of land. The caterpillars principal foodplant is thistle, the new generation of adults appearing in August feeding on a variety of flowers before flying south to their winter breeding grounds.

(10)Red Admiral Butterfly [Vanessa atalanta]. The Red Admiral migrates here from Europe during May where it breeds on nettles. The new generation usually appear around the beginning of August where it feeds on a variety of flower nectar and later fallen or very ripe fruit. At the approach of winter large numbers head south to the Mediterranean but some butterflies try and hide away in outbuildings etc. but they rarely survive the cold.