As part of an ongoing series of Western Morning News guides to nature, CHARLIE ELDER looks at our common butterflies – this week: small species

SOME of our butterflies can be surprisingly small and easy to overlook, and might even be mistaken for moths, they are so far removed from large and ornate garden favourites like red admirals and peacocks.

Yet these little gems are things of exquisite beauty on a small scale, and some have such eye-catching colouring, like the blue butterflies, that they instantly grab your attention as they flutter past.

Identification is not always easy with smaller species, such as the blues and hairstreaks, and looking at the undersides when the wings are folded can provide crucial clues when it comes to telling them apart.