Small Skipper
Thymelicus sylvestris

 
Wingspan: 27-34mm

Description
Almost identical to Essex Skipper, the Small Skipper has dull brown/orange tips to the antennae while the Essex Skipper has distinctive glossy black tips to its antennae. Small Skippers are also slightly more orange in appearance. Like other skippers they spend much of their time basking on grass stems.

Flight Period
The single flight period is normally from early June until mid/late August.

Larval Food plants
Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus)
Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata)
False Broom (Brachypodium)
Creeping Soft-grass (Holcus molli)
Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis)
Timothy (Phleum pratense)

Habitat Requirements
Unimproved, uncut grasslands in open sunny locations. Roadside verges and disused railways lines are also frequented where the larval food plant is abundant.

Wiltshire Status
Resident, common/frequent and widespread, currently declining in abundance.

Wiltshire Sites
Most areas of tall, uncut grassland with nectar sources.

Earliest sightings

Earliest county record 29 May 2008 Breach Hill, ATE SP(W) (Tim P Mann).

11 June 2010 Liddington near Swindon
16 June 2009 Chittoe
29 May 2008 ATE SP(W)
1 June 2007 Boscombe Down

 

Essex Skipper
Thymelicus lineola

Description
Wingspan: 26-30mm

Very similar to the Small Skipper, the Essex Skipper can be identified by its all black underside antennae tips. They both share the same habitats and are on the wing at similar times. The male can be separated from the female by the black sex brand on its upper forewings, which is a short line of specialised scent scales, parallel to the wing edge. Like other skippers they spend much of their time basking on grass stems.
 

Flight Period
The single flight period is from mid-June until end of August.

Larval Food plants
Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) is the main food plant
May use other grasses such as Yorkshire fog, Creeping Soft-grass, Common Couch, Timothy and Tor-grass

Habitat Requirements
Unimproved grasslands in open sunny locations. Such as roadside verges and disused railways lines where the larval food plant is abundant.

Wiltshire Status
Resident, frequent/common, becoming more widespread in west and south-west in recent years.

Wiltshire Sites
Most tall, uncut grassland with nectar sources.

Earliest sightings
Earliest county record 3 June 2007 Haydown Hill (John Moon).
 

12 June 2010 Cherhill Down
29 June 2009 Everleigh
9 June 2008 Summer Down, ATE SP(W)
3 June 2007 Haydown Hill

Latest sightings
Latest county record 11 Sept 2008 Barbury Castle (Helen Senior).
 

Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages

Description
Wingspan 27-34mm

The Dingy Skipper is a small butterfly and a fast flier, which can make it difficult to follow as it flies close to the ground. The butterfly is Grey / Brown in colour but on a freshly emerged specimen an intricate wing pattern can be observed. This pattern fades over time and may explain its name.
It likes to bask in the sun and can often be found on bare earth or a stone that has been warmed by the sun. The butterflies will nectar on Bird's-foot Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Buttercup's and Hawkweeds. When resting, it wraps it wings around a flower head or stem in a moth like pose. Photo

Flight Period
The normal flight period is from mid-May until late June, but in early seasons it can be seen in Wiltshire from mid-April. In hot summers there is sometimes a partial second generation in August.

Larval Food plants
Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus)
Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)

Habitat
This butterfly prefers warm open areas such as south-facing chalk downland, railway embankments and abandoned quarries. It can also be found in a few woodland clearings and rides.
Status
UK BAP Wilts BAP Declining
Local, frequent, seldom common

Wiltshire Sites
North
West Yatton Down
Pewsey Downs NNR
Calstone Downs
South
Most grazed grasslands
Boscombe Railway Cutting

Earliest sightings
County Record 11 April 1893 (Marlborough College Nat. Hist. Soc.)

22 Apr 2010, Boscombe Down Railway Cutting
18 Apr 2009, Boscombe Down Railway Cutting
27 Apr 2008, West Yatton Down
14 Apr 2007, Cotley Hill & West Yatton Down
 

Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus malvae

Wingspan 23 - 29mm

Description

The Grizzled Skipper is the first of the skippers to emerge. The butterfly is dark brown above, fringed with white, with a checkerboard pattern of white spots. Like the other skippers, this butterfly is a fast flier which can be difficult to follow due to its ability to vanish during its erratic flight. Both sexes can be found basking in the sun perched on bare earth or stones in a sheltered spot. It may occasionally nectar on spring flowers such as Buttercup or Bird’s-foot-trefoil.

Flight Period
Normally from mid-April until the end of June.

Larval Food plants
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Barren Strawberry (Potentilla sterilis))
Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)
Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
Bramble (Rubus fruticosus)
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria
Dog-rose (Rosa canina)
Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
Wood Avens (Geum urbanum)

Habitat Requirements
This butterfly occurs in a variety of habitats where warmth and shelter is available along with its larval food plant. Habitats including chalk downland, disused railway lines, woodland rides and woodland edges, unimproved grassland and waste ground. These habitats should also provide patches of bare ground where it can bask.

Status
UK BAP species
Wilts BAP species
Resident.
Widespread but scarce and local, declining both in abundance and distribution (north and west).Wiltshire Sites
Bentley Wood

Earliest sightings
Earliest county record 31 March 2003 Boscombe Down (Tony Horner)
 

19 April 2010 Porton Down
13 Apr 2009 Somerford Common & Waterhay, CWP.
22 Apr 2008 Middleton Down
6 Apr 2007 Middleton Down

Latest county record, 15 July 1986 Picket Wood (Mike Fuller).
A singleton seen in a wood near Trowbridge on 1 Aug 1941 (Bowmont Weddell) was probably of a very rare partial 2nd generation
 

Green Hairstreak
Callophrys rubi

Wingspan 27-34mm

Description
This small butterfly always rests with its wings closed and as a result you never see the brown upperwings. The underwings are an iridescent green with a trail of small white marks. The flight is fast and the butterfly is easily lost to view when flying over green vegetation.

Flight Period
Late April to early July

Larval Food plants
Rockrose (Helianthemum nummularium)
Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatis)
Gorse (Ulex europeaus)
Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Dyer's Greenweed (Genista tinctoria).
Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus)

Habitat
Calcareous Grassland
Heathland
Moorland (Scotland)

Status
Resident

Earliest Sightings
2011:   8th April      West Yatton Down
2010:   17 April       Pewsey Down
2009:   16 April       Cotley Hill, Heytesbury
2008:   27 April       West Yatton Down 

Orange Tip

(Anthocharis cardamines) 
 

Wingspan: 45-350mm

Description
This species is named after the male butterfly who has an orange colouring at the wing tip. Both male and female can be identified by the mottled greed pattern of the underside of the hindwing. Common thought the lowland of England and Wales and rarer in Scotland. Males are a common sight in spring flying along hedgerows and damp meadows in search of the more reclusive female which lacks the orange tip and is often mistaken for one of the other 'White' butterflies. Eggs laid on cuckoo flower or garlic mustard. Overwintering as a chrysalis and emerging some 10-11 months later.
 

Flight Period
The flight period is from early April to mid July.

 
Larval Food plants
Caterpillar food in the main is the flowers and seedpods of tall Crucifers – Lady Smock/Cuckooflower (cardamine pratensis) and Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate). Garden plants such as Aubrieta, Forget-me-not and honesty attract this butterfly.

Habitat
Damp pastures and meadows, damp woodland edges, glades, riverbanks, ditches, dykes, fens,railway cuttings and country lanes.

Wiltshire Status
Resident

Wiltshire Sites
Clattinger Farm

First sightings
2011:   24th March   Reynolds Hill, Chittoe
2010:    8th April,      West Yatton Down & Chittoe
2009:  30th March,   Downton
2008:    4th April,      Hens Wood

Purple Emperor
Apatura iris

Wingspan 70-92mm
Average Male 75mm, Female 84mm

Description
This magnificent, enigmatic butterfly is one of the most sought after UK species. Its large size and purple sheen of the male is well worth any effort made to seek it. The female lacks the iridescence of the male but the white band is broader. The undersides of both sexes are a mix of browns grey orange and white.

Flight Period
The last days of June to Early August

Larval Food plants
Goat Willow (sallow) Salix caprea,
Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)

Habitat
Large broadleaved woods and forests

Status
Resident

Wiltshire Sites
Savernake forest
Bentley Wood
Everleigh Ashes 

Earliest Sightings

23 June 2010 Black Dog Woods
28 June 2009 Bentley Wood
10 June 2008 Bentley Wood
 

Latest Sighting (Wiltshire)

21 September  1986

Marbled White
Melanargia galathea

Flight Period

The flight period is from mid June – mid- August.

Larval Food plants
Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) is the main food plant.

Habitat
Tall unimproved grassland on a variety of soils, mainly calcareous or neutral.

Wiltshire Status
Resident


Wiltshire Sites

All over the county but especially the downs, the Plain and other open grassland areas.

Earliest Wiltshire Record

16 June 1893

Silver-studded Blue

(Plebejus argus)

Description
Wingspan: 29-31mm

This is the smallest of the bright blue butterflies and one of the most attractive. The underwings are silvery with the distintive orange band on the hindwing. Bordering this band is a row of black spots which contain the blue studs the give the butterfly its name. The upperside of the maleis a deep blue bordered with black which is fringed with white. The female upperwings resemble those of a Brown Argus, whilst her underwings are noticeably browner than that of the males.

Flight Period
Late June to Early August

Larval Food Plants
In Wiltshire the only colonies are on heathland and in this habitat  the catapillar foodplants are Heather, Cross-leaved heath and  Bell Heather.

Habitat Requirements
Heathland, a rare habitat in Wiltshire with a few fragments in the far south east corner.

Wilshire Status
Resident uncommon

Wiltshire Sites
Lanford Common
Pound Bottom

Early Sightings

19th June 2010      Hamptworth Estate
24th June 2009      Hamptworth Estate

 

Chalkhill Blue

(Lysandra coridon) 

Wingspan  38mm 

Description

Flight Period
July to Mid September

Larval Food plants
Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)

Habitat Requirements
Chalk Downland

Status
Resident, Widespread

Earliest sightings
03 July 2010 Snail Down
16 July 2009 Bratton Castle
24 July 2008 West Yatton Down

Earliest county record
30 May 1984 Morgan's Hill