The Aristocrats
Family: NYMPHALIDAE
These are the real McCoys - the large, flamboyant, fast flying butterflies that you
simply cannot fail to notice. All are highly mobile species, two of the ones found in our
garden are in fact migrants that visit us each year from as far away as North Africa.
And their larvae feed off nettles and thistles......
RED ADMIRAL Vanessa atalanta
The most regular immigrant specues to the British Isles, never failing to miss a summer over here. There is
growing proof that this butterfly, unlike other migrants,
can survive our winters these days - in fact we saw a
few in April 2000 in our garden that were either very
early migrants or had successfully overwintered here.
Such a striking contrast of black and scarlet wins many
admirers. Often the last butterfly to be seen in the
autumn, when it loves fallen or over ripe fruit, as does
the Comma and Speckled Wood.
CURRENT STATUS Regular migrant, breeds on site during the summer months.
LARVAL FOODPLANT Nettles.
FAVOURED NECTAR PLANTS Buddleia; privet; rotting fruit; bramble; hemp agrimony; ivy; Michaelmas daisy; ice plant; Verbena bonariensis; scabious; devil's-bit scabious.
WHEN SEEN usually from late May - offspring of these migrants show from late July onwards, often until October or even November, sometimes producing a second brood.
SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS Just plenty of nectar!
PAINTED LADY Cynthia cardui
Who can forget the Painted Lady invasion of
1996 when literally millions migrated into the UK
- if only every year were the same. But in some
years we go by without even seeing one. Often
arrives with, and seen throughout the summer in
the company of it's cousin, the Red Admiral, to
which it is equally characterful and flamboyant.
Unlike the Red admiral, it does not survive our
winters.
CURRENT STATUS purely migratory - common some years, absent others.
LARVAL FOODPLANT Thistles.
FAVOURED NECTAR PLANTS Buddleia; thistles; hemp agrimony; marjoram; verbena bonariensis; corn marigold; ice plant; Michaelmas daisy;
WHEN SEEN usually from late May - offspring start to show from around late July into September.
SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS Nothing - this is purely a bonus species that either arrives or doesn't. So there is no need to annoy the neighbours by growing loads of thistles!
SMALL TORTOISESHELL Aglais urticae
Probably the most well known British butterfly
after the 'Cabbage Whites', this species is totally
at home in gardens where it can be abundant.
Very free roaming, the butterflies will however stay
with you for weeks during late summer and autumn
whilst feeding up for hibernation. This is only one
of four species that hibernate as adult butterflies
(the others being the Brimstone, Peacock, and
Comma) therefore are always the first to be seen
on the wing again in the spring. They enter dark
cool places to hibernate (sometimes entering
houses) where their sombre coloured undersides
allow them to merge in with their surroundings.
CURRENT STATUS Common to abundant resident and visitor.
LARVAL FOODPLANT Nettles.
FAVOURED NECTAR PLANTS Buddleia; hemp agrimony; marjoram; dandelion; ice plant; Michaelmas daisy; scabious; devil's-bit scabious; knapweed; thistles; verbena bonariensis; privet; sallow blossom; coltsfoot.
WHEN SEEN From early spring through to October in in two or three almost successive broods.
SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS Providing there is a constant supply of nectar from March to October, and nettles grow in the vicinity, the butterfly will be perfectly happy.
PEACOCK Inachis io
An unmistakable and familiar butterfly, totally at
home in gardens and often seen in company with
Small Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals plus other
Aristocrats. Another hibernator, seeking out
similar quarters to the Tortoiseshell, and another
nettle feeder. Unlike the Tortoiseshell and the
Comma, this butterfly only has one brood a year -
the ones seen in the spring after hibernation are
the ones that emerged the previous summer,
which go straight through the rest of the summer
and winter without breeding.
CURRENT STATUS Common to abundant resident and visitor.
LARVAL FOODPLANT Nettles.
FAVOURED NECTAR PLANTS Buddleia; hemp agrimony; marjoram; Verbena bonariensis; ice plant; Michaelmas daisy; scabious; devil's-bit scabious; dandelion; knapweed; thistles; bramble.
WHEN SEEN From early spring into May or June. New butterflies appear from late July into October.
SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS Providing there is a constant supply of nectar from March to October, and nettles grow in the vicinity, the butterfly will be perfectly happy.
COMMA Polygonia c-album
A truly individual butterfly with it's unusual scalloped
wings and deep russet colour. Never seen in great
numbers like the other Aristocrats, and usually in
ones and twos, occasionally more. This butterfly is
more of a loner than the others and is generally much
scarcer anyway. More of a true woodland butterfly,
but wanders more in the late summer when not
breeding. Three broods seen each year (although, as
with the Tortoiseshell, the first is the same as the
last if you can follow me). Unusual in that the earliest
batch of the first summer brood look and act
differently, being much paler in colour and with less
defined jagged wings. These are the ones that
produce the second brood, the later ones joining the
second brood in hibernation, leaving further breeding
until the spring. the one pictured is feasting from
rotting fruit, a delicacy of the Comma.
Above: with wings closed, it can be seen how the Comma successfully overwinters amongst dead leaves, resembling one itself. In the centre
of the hindwings is the tiny comma shaped mark that gives the butterfly
it's name.
Right: the paler seasonal form of the butterfly, known as form hutchinsoni.
CURRENT STATUS Scarce, but definitely bred on site during 1999.
LARVAL FOODPLANT Nettles; elm.
FAVOURED NECTAR PLANTS Buddleia, marjoram, privet, hemp agrimony, Verbena bonariensis, devil's-bit scabious, rotting fruit.
WHEN SEEN From early spring to May; first brood appear from early july, some continuing through the summer, reinforced by second brood in August and September, flying well into October.
SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS Requires more of a sheltered woodland habitat type for it's breeding season.
