The class of insects known as the ‘Lepidoptera‘ is the one that encompassses moths and butterflies. Many species of both have emerged from hibernation and can be seen aplenty in gardens, parks and in the countryside.
Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) and orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) are abundant in scrub and hedgerows.
Speckled wood butterfly warming up on a bramble leaf
The speckled wood is an interesting butterfly for a couple of reasons. It has a north/south colour variation where more northerly individuals have whitish spots and more southerly ones have orange spots. The other unique feature of this species is that it can overwinter as both a larva and a pupa resulting in adults emerging all the way through from Spring to Autumn.
I don’t have a good picture of an orange tip as they are very difficult to catch stationary. I watched one sat on a cow parsley flowerhead for several minutes last weekend, but of course I’d left my camera at home. The males have a 40-50mm wingspan, creamy white upper parts with big orange patches on the wingtips which alaso have a black margin. Underneath they have wonderfully intricate green lacework which makes highly effective camouflage. The females don’t have the orange tip, which is thought to be a warning to predators that they are unpalatable, but they are easier to see on food plants as they are not busy looking for mates in the same way the males are. Photographs to follow, hopefully!
A few red admirals (Vanessa atalanta) have been spotted by me in Histon so far this year, although not more than two or three, but in the last two weeks large numbers of small tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae) and holly blues (Celastrina argiolus) are flying around in the hot sunny weather.
Red admiral on a bramble stem
Small tortoiseshell butterfly looking somewhat tatterdemalion after emerging from hibernation, warming up in the early morning sunshine on an old farm machine
Holly blue butterfly
I haven’t seen many interesting moths yet this year, but late one evening last week, whilst quietly watching TV, this beauty emerged from behind the sofa, to the general consternatiion of all in the room, fluttered around very rapidly for several seconds before homing in on a lamp and alighting inside the shade:
Emperor moth female inside a lampshade
As you can imagine, her choice of resting place gave an additional challenge to the photography but I like this picture. The male is even more colourful with orange hindwings and believe it or not the emperor moth, Saturnia pavonia, is native to the UK, not an import from the rainforests! Emperor moths are big with a wingspan over 7cm, and they live on moors and in open countryside where they feed on brambles. The males are out and about in daytime looking for mates in April and May and the females are abroad at night, I guesss looking for safe places to lay eggs. It is the UK’s only resident member of the Saturnidae family.
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Holly Blue
Brimstone
Orange tip
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