Clouded Yellow

(Colias croceus))

 Wingspan: 57 - 62mm

Description
Deep lemon yellow wings, edged with a thin pink border. The forewing has a central black spot, the hindwing has a two white circles edged with reddish brown resembling a figure eight.

Flight Period
This migatory butterfly reaches british shore in mid May with a peak in numbers in July, The second brood peak is larger in number and oocurs in October.

Larval Food Plants
Clover
Lucerne
Trefoils

Habitat
Cliff tops, Flowering Downland, and Clover fields

Wiltshire Status
Migrant, Sometimes Scarce other years fairly numerous.

First Wiltshire Sightings
2011:    10th May,     Witherington Down, SE of Salisbury
2010:    16th June,    Warminster
2009:    25th May,     Cockey Down
2008:    31st May,     Broken Cross, nr. Salisbury

Brimstone

(Gonepteryx rhamni)

Wingspan: 60 - 74mm
 
Description
Male bright yellow with distinctive leaf shaped wing profile, female much paler whitish green.

Flight Period
The peak flight periods are April / May and again in August, but can be seen in most months of the year.

Larval Food Plants
Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

Habitat
The Brimstone can be found in many habitats including woodland, downland, roadside verges & gardens

Wiltshire Status
Resident and Widespread

Wiltshire Sites
Commonly seen throughout Wiltshire.

First Wiltshire Sightings
2011:  8th January        Salisbury
2010: 1st March             Wanborough, Clench Common
2009: 11th February     Swindon
2008: 8th January         Bentley Wood

Large White

(Pieris brassicae)
 

 
Wingspan: 58 - 63mm

Description
Similar to the smaller Small White the female can be distuished from the male by the two black spots on the upperwing.

Flight Period
End April to end June and again from mid July to October.

Larval Food Plants
Cruciferae family, Cabbages etc.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea)

Habitat
This butterfly can be found in many habitats including:-
Gardens &  allotments, parks, open grassland, meadows,and hedgerows.

Status
Resident and Widespread

Wiltshire Sites
Commonly seen throughout Wiltshire.

First Wiltshire Sightings
2011:    7th April,           Lydiard Park
2010:    9th April,           Salisbury
2009:    16th March,      West Yatton Down
2008:    13th April,         Bradford on Avon
 

Small White

(Pieris rapae)

Wingspan 48mm

Description
Similar to the Green-veined White, the underside vein markings are less pronounced on the Small White. The black mark at the apex of the upperwing is unbroken.
 
Flight Period
Mid March to Mid October in two or more broods.

Larval Food Plants
Cruciferae family, Cabbages etc.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Charlock (Sinapis arvensis)Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea)

Habitat
This butterfly can be found in many habitats including:-
Gardens & Allotments, parks, open grassland, meadows,and hedgerows.
 
Status
Resident and Widespread
 
Wiltshire Sites
Commonly seen throughout Wiltshire.
 
First Wiltshire Sightings
2011: 17th March, Trowbridge
2010: 16th March, Bradford-on-Avon
2009: 15th March, Trowbridge
2008: 3th March, Cockey Down

Green-veined White

 (Pieris Napi)

Wingspan: 58 - 63mm

Description
Simalar to the smaller Small White the female can be distuished from the male by the two black sops on the upperside

Flight Period
Late April to Mid June and again from early July to late August. Ocassional third brood occurs.

Larval Food Plants
Cruciferae family, Cabbages etc.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea)

Habitat
This butterfly can be found in many habitats including:-
Gardens & allotments, parks, open grassland, meadows,and hedgerows.

Status
Resident and Widespread

Wiltshire Sites
Commonly seen throughout Wiltshire.

First Wiltshire Sightings
2011: 7th April, Lydiard Park
2010: 9th April, Salisbury
2009: 16th March, West Yatton Down
2008: 13th April, Bradford on Avon

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