Early Spring butterflies

For many of us it’s spotting the first butterflies that mean Spring is really here. The 59 species of UK butterflies (including 2 regular migrants) are some of our most attractive insects, but like many other species, their numbers have declined dramatically over the last 50 years perhaps by as much as 50%. Major threats include loss of habitat (especially food plants), continuing use of chemicals pesticides, and climate change. The earliest species on the wing are normally those that have overwintered in a dormant state as adult butterflies.

The yellow Brimstone butterfly, named after an archaic word for sulphur, is one of the first butterflies we see flying in spring. That's because it steals a march on many other species by over-wintering as an adult, often among clusters of ivy leaves where its pale underwings camouflage it superbly. The Brimstone has a very long proboscis, so it can reach nectar on flowers which most other UK butterflies cannot, such as runner beans and teasels. It has a preference for purple/pink flowers. This one is feeding on Buddleia.

The Peacock is one of our largest and commonest garden butterflies found throughout the British Isles - except in  Northern Scotland. Its spectacular large eyespots which are thought to have evolved as a protective display to startle or confuse predators, make it one of the easiest to recognise. However when the wings are closed it appears almost black providing excellent camouflage when at rest on the bark of a tree.

The Small Tortoiseshell is one of our most familiar butterflies though the numbers have declined in recent years. This may be because of a parasitic fly which lays its eggs near to where the caterpillars are feeding. When they eat the eggs, the grubs that emerge emerge feed on the insides of their host. A favourite food plant is the Common Stinging nettle so please do leave some to encourage the recovery of this attractive species.

The Red Admiral butterfly is another unmistakable visitor to our gardens with its dark body, orange-red wing bands and white spots. Like tortoiseshells, they also favour nettles to lay their eggs singly, and a week or so after hatching the caterpillar spins a silky 'tent' around itself before it changes into a pupa. Some Red Admirals butterflies are migrants coming to Britain from as far as North Africa.

The Comma butterfly gets its name from the small white 'c' marking on the underside of its wings which have a characteristic ragged appearance. It too is one of our early Spring butterflies and unlike many other species, seems to be expanding in both numbers and range and has moved northwards into Scotland. This is yet another species which lays eggs on Stinging nettles and the larvae are flecked with brown and white markings, and resemble bird droppings.

You may have noticed that the photos of four of these butterfly species are all seen to be feeding on the same plant.  Whilst not actually native to the UK, the sweetly-scented flowers of the 'butterfly-bush', Buddleia, act like magnets for butterflies often attracting dozens at a time. There are several Buddleia bushes in the 3Bs Community Garden and at least 7 butterfly species were recorded there last summer. This is an easy plant to grown from cuttings, but beware it can soon take over you garden if you don't keep it under control!