Skippers:  Family Hesperiidae
 
Small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
  • Resident, rough grassland, common
  • Adults: June-August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus
  • Range: England and Wales north to Scottish border
  • Status since 1970's : slight increase
Large skipper  Ochlodes sylvanus
  • Resident, tall grassland
  • Adults: May-August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses especially cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata
  • Range: Southern Britain, extending northwards
  • Status since 1970's : 12% decrease
Blues and coppers: Family Lycaenidae
 
Common blue Polyommatus icarus
  • Resident
  • Adults: 2 broods, May and October
  • Larval foodplants: birds-foot treioil   Lotus corniculatus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 17% decrease
Holly blue Celastrina argiolus
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: 2 broods, late March/April August/September
  • Larval foodplants: 1st brood holly      Ilex aquifolium 2nd brood ivy              Hedera helix
  • Range: Southern Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 37% increase
Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
  • Resident, rare now in gardens
  • Adults: up to 4 broods April to November
  • Larval foodplants: sorrels Rumex acetosa and R. acetosella
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 37% decline
Brown argus Aricia agestis
  • Resident, rare in gardens
  • Adults: 2-3 broods May to Sept.
  • Larval foodplants: common rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium
  • Range: southern-eastern Britain,  coastal Wales
  • Status since 2005 : 2% increase,   range increasing
Whites: Family Pieridae
 
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering individuals in April, offspring in August
  • Larval foodplants: buckthorns Frangulus aldus & Rhamnus catharcticus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 14% increase, range increasing
Large (cabbage) white Pieris brassicae
  • Resident, augmented by summer migrants. Abundant
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/May, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: brassicas, nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
  • Range:All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 30% decrease but still abundant
Small (cabbage) white Pieris rapae
  • Resident, augmented by summer migrants. Abundant
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/June, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: crucifers, nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 25% decrease but still common
Green-veined white Pieris napi
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/June, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: charlock Sinapis arvensis, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 72% increase
Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines 
  • Resident, quite common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 broods, April/June
  • Larval foodplants: cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland except northern Scotland
  • Status since 2005: 59% increase
Vanessids Sub family Nymphalinae
  • Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta Common
  • Adults: Migrants from May, offspring July to October
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 257% increase
Painted lady Vanessa cardui
  • Summer migrant, often common
  • Adults: Migrants from April, offspring July to October
  • Larval foodplants: thistles. common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 113% increase
Peacock, Inachis io
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from June to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland except northern Scotland
  • Status since 2005: 17% increase
Small tortoiseshell  Aglais urticae
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from July to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 73% decrease
Comma Polygonia c-album
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from June to December
  • Second brood eggs laid June to August, adults September to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All England and Wales, now southern Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 150% increase, range extending north
Browns Sub-family Satyrinae
Speckled wood Pararge aegeria
  • Resident, woodland habitat
  • Adults: 2 broods April/May, June to October
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata and others
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland, absent southern and central Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 84% increase
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
  • Resident, woodland edge habitat
  • Adults: 1 brood June to August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata and others
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland, absent north western Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 381% increase, range extending
Wall Lasiommata megera
  • Resident, now mainly in coastal areas
  • Adults: 2 broods April/June August/September
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, bents Agrostis spp and others
  • Range: England and Wales, coastal Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: 87% decrease, range reducing.
  • BAP species
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
  • Resident, hedgerows, common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 brood June to September
  • Larval foodplants: grass, bents Agrostis spp, fescues Festuca spp
  • Range: Southern & central England and Wales, south coastal Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: 41% decrease
 
 
Meadow brown Maniola jurtina
  • Resident, grassy habitats, common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 brood June to September
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, bents Agrostis spp, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: stable
 
Skippers:  Family Hesperiidae
 
Small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris
  • Resident, rough grassland, common
  • Adults: June-August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus
  • Range: England and Wales north to Scottish border
  • Status since 1970's : slight increase
Large skipper  Ochlodes sylvanus
  • Resident, tall grassland
  • Adults: May-August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses especially cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata
  • Range: Southern Britain, extending northwards
  • Status since 1970's : 12% decrease
Blues and coppers: Family Lycaenidae
 
Common blue Polyommatus icarus
  • Resident
  • Adults: 2 broods, May and October
  • Larval foodplants: birds-foot treioil   Lotus corniculatus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 17% decrease
Holly blue Celastrina argiolus
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: 2 broods, late March/April August/September
  • Larval foodplants: 1st brood holly      Ilex aquifolium 2nd brood ivy              Hedera helix
  • Range: Southern Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 37% increase
Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
  • Resident, rare now in gardens
  • Adults: up to 4 broods April to November
  • Larval foodplants: sorrels Rumex acetosa and R. acetosella
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 37% decline
Brown argus Aricia agestis
  • Resident, rare in gardens
  • Adults: 2-3 broods May to Sept.
  • Larval foodplants: common rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium
  • Range: southern-eastern Britain,  coastal Wales
  • Status since 2005 : 2% increase,   range increasing
Whites: Family Pieridae
 
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering individuals in April, offspring in August
  • Larval foodplants: buckthorns Frangulus aldus & Rhamnus catharcticus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 14% increase, range increasing
Large (cabbage) white Pieris brassicae
  • Resident, augmented by summer migrants. Abundant
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/May, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: brassicas, nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
  • Range:All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 30% decrease but still abundant
Small (cabbage) white Pieris rapae
  • Resident, augmented by summer migrants. Abundant
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/June, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: crucifers, nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970's : 25% decrease but still common
Green-veined white Pieris napi
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: usually 2 broods, April/June, July/August
  • Larval foodplants: charlock Sinapis arvensis, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 72% increase
Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines 
  • Resident, quite common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 broods, April/June
  • Larval foodplants: cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland except northern Scotland
  • Status since 2005: 59% increase
Vanessids Sub family Nymphalinae
  • Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta Common
  • Adults: Migrants from May, offspring July to October
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 257% increase
Painted lady Vanessa cardui
  • Summer migrant, often common
  • Adults: Migrants from April, offspring July to October
  • Larval foodplants: thistles. common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 113% increase
Peacock, Inachis io
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from June to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland except northern Scotland
  • Status since 2005: 17% increase
Small tortoiseshell  Aglais urticae
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from July to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 2005: 73% decrease
Comma Polygonia c-album
  • Resident, common in gardens
  • Adults: overwintering from January, offspring from June to December
  • Second brood eggs laid June to August, adults September to December
  • Larval foodplants: common nettle Urtica dioica
  • Range: All England and Wales, now southern Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 150% increase, range extending north
Browns Sub-family Satyrinae
Speckled wood Pararge aegeria
  • Resident, woodland habitat
  • Adults: 2 broods April/May, June to October
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata and others
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland, absent southern and central Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 84% increase
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
  • Resident, woodland edge habitat
  • Adults: 1 brood June to August
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata and others
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland, absent north western Scotland
  • Status since 1970s: 381% increase, range extending
Wall Lasiommata megera
  • Resident, now mainly in coastal areas
  • Adults: 2 broods April/June August/September
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, bents Agrostis spp and others
  • Range: England and Wales, coastal Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: 87% decrease, range reducing.
  • BAP species
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
  • Resident, hedgerows, common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 brood June to September
  • Larval foodplants: grass, bents Agrostis spp, fescues Festuca spp
  • Range: Southern & central England and Wales, south coastal Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: 41% decrease
 
 
Meadow brown Maniola jurtina
  • Resident, grassy habitats, common in gardens
  • Adults: 1 brood June to September
  • Larval foodplants: grasses, bents Agrostis spp, cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata
  • Range: All Britain and Ireland
  • Status since 1970s: stable
 
 
 
Biology
Butterflies are day-flying insects that are active from spring to autumn.  They visit flowers in order to feed on nectar.  Many garden flowers are attractive to them, particularly those growing in warm sheltered places.  The larval stages feed mainly on the foliage of various plants.  The large and small cabbage whites eat the foliage of cultivated plants, such as cabbage, other brassicas and nasturtiums.  Other British butterflies have caterpillars that feed on forest trees or wild flowers, including nettles and grasses. 
 
Species that come to Britain as migrants include red admiral Vanessa atalanta, painted lady Vanessa cardui and less commonly in gardens, the clouded yellow, Colias croceus. The numbers that cross the Channel or North Sea can vary considerably from year to year.  Those that arrive early enough are able to breed in Britain but they do not usually survive the winter. Climate change may change this, as in the case of the red admiral,
 
Life cycle
After mating, female butterflies deposit eggs on plants suitable for their larvae.  Some butterflies lay eggs singly over many plants, while others lays eggs in clusters on a few plants.  The caterpillars feed on the foliage or flower buds of their food plants.  When fully fed, the caterpillars often wander away from their food plants before selecting somewhere to pupate.  Most butterfly caterpillars pupate above ground level.  They do not enclose themselves in a silk cocoon but silk threads are used to attach the pupa or chrysalis to a plant stem or fence.
 
Most butterflies overwinter as pupae but some species overwinter as eggs or larvae.  The comma, brimstone, peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies overwinter in sheltered places as adults.  The last two mentioned sometimes hibernate in garden sheds and garages.  Most species have one generation a year but some have two or sometimes three.
  
 
 
 
 
                      
 
 
 
Where are they found (in Britain and Ireland)
They are found in England and Wales and – more recently – the far south of Scotland, but not in Ireland.
 
 
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
Rough grasslands wherever tall grasses grow: downland, field edges, woodland edges and glades, even road verges.
 
 
Resident or migrant?
Resident 
 
When to see them?
There is only one brood per year and the best time to see them is the height of summer. The first adults emerge in June and can be seen until the end of August. Males are territorial and more active than females.
 
What happens in winter?
Small skippers overwinter as caterpillars. Shortly after emerging from their eggs towards the end of summer the caterpillars spin silk cocoons around themselves in which they hibernate throughout winter.
 
 
Small skipper   Thymelicus sylvestris  
Family: Hesperiidae
What do they look like?
 
These are bright little butterflies with upper wings variously described as orange, golden, orange-brown or golden-brown. The sexes can be told apart by the presence of a thin black line running through the centre of the male forewing: this is a line of specialised scent gland scales called androconia forming a sex brand which is absent in females.
 
The undersides of the wings are paler and duller and are similar in both sexes. As they often bask with their wings half-open it’s usually easy to see both sides of the wings.
 
The wingspan is between 27 and 34mm.
  Adult female 
  Adult male
 Underside
What does the caterpillar look like?
 
The caterpillars moult four times so have five stages (instars). The first caterpillars are tiny (around 2mm length) and pale-green, becoming darker green and larger with each stage.
 
 
What do the caterpillars eat?
 
The main foodplant is the native grass Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, but other native grasses are used especially creeping soft-grass Holcus mollis, Timothy grass Phleum pratense, and false-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum.1. 
 
If you’re lucky enough to have small skippers in your garden it would be good to leave some grasses uncut until the following spring. This is because the cocoons containing the overwintering caterpillars stay in the grass sheaths and may be destroyed if the grass is cut before the caterpillars emerge in April.
 
 
Flowers they take nectar from
They like betony, dandelions and hawksbits, bird’s-foot trefoil, red clover, knapweeds, brambles and thistles among other species.2. 
 
How are they doing?
 
The 2022 State of UK butterflies report shows that since 1976 the number of small skippers has decreased by 71%, showing a small rise from the 2015 report when the decline was 75%, so the population, while reduced over the long term seems roughly stable currently.  Their distribution has declined by 8% (not significant) and has held roughly constant since 2015.3.
 
 
Other interesting facts
 
Despite its name and undoubtedly diminutive size the small skipper is no smaller on average than four of the other skipper species found in the UK.
 
 
References
 
1.  Biological Records Centre database 
 
2.  UK butterflies website
    
3.  State of UK Butterflies report   
 
 
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head
Eggs with larvae visible inside
Later instar caterpillar
Small skipper   Thymelicus sylvestris  
Family: Hesperiidae
Where are they found (in Britain and Ireland)
 
They are found in England and Wales and – more recently – the far south of Scotland, but not in Ireland.
 
 
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
 
Rough grasslands wherever tall grasses grow: downland, field edges, woodland edges and glades, even road verges.
 
 
Resident or migrant?
 
Resident 
 
When to see them?
 
There is only one brood per year and the best time to see them is the height of summer. The first adults emerge in June and can be seen until the end of August. Males are territorial and more active than females.
 
What happens in winter?
 
Small skippers overwinter as caterpillars. Shortly after emerging from their eggs towards the end of summer the caterpillars spin silk cocoons around themselves in which they hibernate throughout winter.
 
 
                                                                                            Adult male
 
What do they look like?
 
These are bright little butterflies with upper wings variously described as orange, golden, orange-brown or golden-brown. The sexes can be told apart by the presence of a thin black line running through the centre of the male forewing: this is a line of specialised scent gland scales called androconia forming a sex brand which is absent in females.
 
The undersides of the wings are paler and duller and are similar in both sexes. As they often bask with their wings half-open it’s usually easy to see both sides of the wings.
 
The wingspan is between 27 and 34mm.
  Adult female 
  Adult male
 Underside
What does the caterpillar look like?
The caterpillars moult four times so have five stages (instars). The first caterpillars are tiny (around 2mm length) and pale-green, becoming darker green and larger with each stage.
 
 
What do the caterpillars eat?
The main foodplant is the native grass Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, but other native grasses are used especially creeping soft-grass Holcus mollis, Timothy grass Phleum pratense, and false-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum.1. 
 
If you’re lucky enough to have small skippers in your garden it would be good to leave some grasses uncut until the following spring. This is because the cocoons containing the overwintering caterpillars stay in the grass sheaths and may be destroyed if the grass is cut before the caterpillars emerge in April.
 
 
Flowers they take nectar from
They like betony, dandelions and hawksbits, bird’s-foot trefoil, red clover, knapweeds, brambles and thistles among other species.2. 
 
How are they doing?
The 2022 State of UK butterflies report shows that since 1976 the number of small skippers has decreased by 71%, showing a small rise from the 2015 report when the decline was 75%, so the population, while reduced over the long term seems roughly stable currently.  Their distribution has declined by 8% (not significant) and has held roughly constant since 2015.3.
 
 
Other interesting facts
Despite its name and undoubtedly diminutive size the small skipper is no smaller on average than four of the other skipper species found in the UK.
 
 
References
 
1.  Biological Records Centre database 
2.  UK butterflies website 
3.  State of UK Butterflies report   
 
 
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head
Eggs with larvae visible inside
Later instar caterpillar
Small skipper   Thymelicus sylvestris  
Family: Hesperiidae
Small skipper   Thymelicus sylvestris  
Family: Hesperiidae
  Adult male
  Adult female 
  Adult male 
What do they look like?
 
These are bright little butterflies with upper wings variously described as orange, golden, orange-brown or golden-brown. The sexes can be told apart by the presence of a thin black line running through the centre of the male forewing: this is a line of specialised scent gland scales called androconia forming a sex brand which is absent in females.
 
The undersides of the wings are paler and duller and are similar in both sexes. As they often bask with their wings half-open it’s usually easy to see both sides of the wings.
 
The wingspan is between 27 and 34mm.
Where are they found (in Britain and Ireland)
They are found in England and Wales and – more recently – the far south of Scotland, but not in Ireland.
 
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
Rough grasslands wherever tall grasses grow: downland, field edges, woodland edges and glades, even road verges.
 
Resident or migrant?
Resident 
 
When to see them?
There is only one brood per year and the best time to see them is the height of summer. The first adults emerge in June and can be seen until the end of August. Males are territorial and more active than females.
 
What happens in winter?
Small skippers overwinter as caterpillars. Shortly after emerging from their eggs towards the end of summer the caterpillars spin silk cocoons around themselves in which they hibernate throughout winter.
 
 
Eggs with larvae visible inside
Later instar caterpillar
       Garden Wildlife
             Garden Wildlife