Weird and wonderful butterflies and moths to spot this summer
THE Big Butterfly Count is almost upon us, when we’re asked to note down the butterflies and day-flying moths we see in the UK over three weeks in summer.
Data should be sent to Butterfly Conservation (butterfly-conservation.org), the charity dedicated to saving these beautiful insects.
Here is a rundown of some interesting butterflies and moths you may see this summer:
MARBLED WHITE: Easy to identify because of its monochrome black and white markings, these butterflies appear in areas of rough grassland and southern downland.
To tempt them into your garden, plant some purple flowers such as wild marjoram, field scabious, thistles and knapweeds.
This species occurs in most parts of southern England and into south Wales and is
RINGLET: When it’s newly emerged, the ringlet has a velvety appearance and is almost black, with a white fringe to the wings. The distinctive circles on the underwings, which give the butterfly its name, vary in number and size and may be enlarged and elongated or, rarely, reduced to small white spots.
This butterfly loves damp conditions with long grass and nectars on bramble and wild privet flowers.
You can spot it by its characteristic bobbing flight. It’s found across much of the UK and has become much more widespread in north-west England and in Scotland.
SMALL COPPER: Though it remains a commonspecies in most parts of the UK, the number of small coppers has declined by over a third since the 1970s.
With their wings open they are a little larger than a 50p coin, but they are easily overlooked as they are rarely seen in large numbers. The upper sides of the wings have distinctive bright orange and black markings.
And don’t forget moths...
SIX-SPOT BURNET: This dazzling black and scarlet moth has a slow, buzzing flight and is active on warm, sunny days. It’s attracted to a range of flowers, especially purple blooms including thistles, knapweeds and scabious.
The Big Butterfly Count, sponsored by B&Q, runs from July 17 to August 9. For more information visit bigbutterflycount.org.