Twenty-eight species of butterfly have been recorded at Natural Surroundings since 2014. Some are common, with sightings almost guaranteed at the right time of year if the weather is warm and sunny, whilst some are rare: Green Hairstreak and Greyling have only been recorded once in a five year period. Scroll down for full details of all the species that we have recorded.

SMALL SKIPPER & ESSEX SKIPPER
Thymelicus sylvestris & Thymelicus lineola
Both of these very small orange-brown butterflies are common at Bayfield, and adults of both are on the wing June–August. In both species the caterpillars feed on grasses (especially Yorkshire Fog and Creeping Soft Grass). Small Skipper overwinters as a caterpillar, in areas of long grass, while Essex Skipper overwinters as an egg. These two butterflies are hard to separate, but when viewed from below (i.e. on your hands and knees!) the tips of the antennae of Essex Skipper are distinctly ‘dipped in ink’ black

LARGE SKIPPER
Ochlodes venata
Common at Bayfield. Flight season late May–mid August. The caterpillars feed on various grasses, but especially like Cock’s-foot. Overwinters as a caterpillar, in areas of long grass. Compared with Small and Essex Skippers, has distinctive dark marks on the wings

BRIMSTONE
Gonepteryx rhamni
Common at Bayfield. Flight season March-September but commonest in spring; may even be seen on mild winter days if disturbed from hibernation – it overwinters as an adult. The caterpillars feed on Alder Buckthorn and Buckthorn.

LARGE WHITE
Pieris brassicae
Common at Bayfield. Flight season late April–September. The caterpillars feed on Wild Mignonette and nasturtiums, but especially on brassicas – this is the ‘Cabbage White’. Overwinters as a chrysalis.

SMALL WHITE Pieris rapae
Common at Bayfield. Flight season April–September. The caterpillars feed on nasturtiums and brassicas, both wild and cultivated. Overwinters as a chrysalis. Usually smaller than Large White, with less black on the wing tip.

GREEN-VEINED WHITE Pieris napi
Very common at Bayfield. Flight season late April–September. The caterpillars feed on various crucifers, including Garlic Mustard, Cuckooflower, Charlock and Hedge Mustard, as well as nasturtiums. Overwinters as a chrysalis. Separated from Large and Small Whites by the bold dark veining on the underwing, although it can sometimes be a little faint.

ORANGE-TIP
Anthocharis cardamines
Common at Bayfield. Flight season late April–June. The caterpillars feed on various wild brassicas, especially Cuckooflower and Garlic Mustard, and in gardens will use Dame’s Violet and Honesty. Overwinters as a chrysalis.

GREEN HAIRSTREAK
Callophrys rubi
Rare at Bayfield. Prefers warm, sunny places with scattered bushes, and always sits with its wings closed, showing the iridescent green underwings. Flight season May–mid June. The caterpillars feed on various members of the pea family, Rock-rose, and a variety of shrubs. Overwinters as a chrysalis, which probably has an association with ants: pupa have been found deep inside ant nests.

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK
Neozephyrus quercus
Scarce at Bayfield, and hard to see as it spends most of its time in the top of tall trees, but sometimes comes down to drink or to nectar. Seldom seen with its wings open. Flight season late June–early September. The caterpillars feed on oak. Overwinters as an egg, laid at the base of a leaf bud.

WHITE-LETTER HAIRSTREAK
Satyrium w-album
Scarce at Bayfield, and hard to see unless it comes down from the tree-tops. Has a distinct white ‘W’ on the underwing. Flight season July–mid August. The caterpillars feed exclusively on elm. Overwinters as an egg, laid in the fork of an elm twig.

SMALL COPPER
Lycaena phlaeas
Uncommon at Bayfield. Flight season May–October. The caterpillars feed on Common Sorrel and Sheep’s Sorrel. Overwinters as a caterpillar.

BROWN ARGUS
Aricia agestis
Rare at Bayfield. Flight season May-late September. The caterpillars feed on Common Rockrose, Common Storksbill and wild geraniums. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Rather like the female Common Blue, but brighter and cleaner, with neater, better-defined markings.

COMMON BLUE
Polyommatus icarus
Uncommon at Bayfield, and usually found in the meadows. Flight season May–June and late July–September. The caterpillars feed on birdsfoot trefoils and other members of the pea family. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Note the boldly marked underwings, with orange and black spots, the latter ringed with white.

HOLLY BLUE
Celastrina argiolus
Fairly common at Bayfield, where usually found in the gardens. Flight season April–May and late July–September. The caterpillars feed on Holly in the spring and Ivy and a variety of other shrubs in the autumn. Overwinters as a chrysalis. Note the silvery-white underwing with inconspicuous black spot

WHITE ADMIRAL Limenitis camilla
Uncommon at Bayfield. Flight season late June–August. The caterpillars feed on Honeysuckle. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Fond of brambles and Hemp Agrimony, this species has recently spread northwards and is now common in many Norfolk woods.

RED ADMIRAL
Vanessa atalanta
Common at Bayfield. Flight season March–October. An immigrant from Continental Europe, but some evidence that it can survive the winter in Britain as sometimes seen on mild winter days – it overwinters as an adult. The caterpillars feed on nettles.

PAINTED LADY Vanessa cardui
Common at times at Bayfield. Flight season May–October. An immigrant from Continental Europe, sometimes arriving in good numbers, but unable to survive the cold and wet of a British winter. There is now evidence that some at least migrate back southwards in the autumn. The caterpillars feed on various thistles.

SMALL TORTOISESHELL
Aglais urticae
Fairly common at Bayfield. Flight season March–October. The caterpillars feed on nettles. Overwinters as an adult.

PEACOCK Inachis io
Common at Bayfield. Flight season March–September. The caterpillars feed on nettles. Overwinters as an adult, sometimes emerging on warm days in late winter.

COMMA Polygonia c-album
Common at Bayfield. Flight season March–October. The caterpillars feed on Hops or nettles, occasionally also currants or elm suckers. Overwinters as an adult. Often holds ‘territory’, perching on a prominent twig, snag or area of bare ground, flying off if disturbed but returning again and again.

SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY
Argynnis paphia
Scarce at Bayfield. Flight season July-August. The caterpillars feed on violets. Overwinters as a caterpillar. A big, fast-flying orange butterfly, but especially attracted to Buddleias and Hemp Agrimony. After an absence of 50 years, recolonised Norfolk in 2010 and is now thriving in many of the county’s woods.

SPECKLED WOOD Pararge aegeria
Fairly common at Bayfield, usually in dappled shade. Flight season April–October. The caterpillars feed on various rough grasses, including False Brome, Yorkshire Fog and Cock’s-foot. Overwinters as a caterpillar or as a chrysalis.

WALL Lasiommata megera
Rare at Bayfield. Flight season late April–June and mid July–October. The caterpillars feed on various rough grasses. Overwinters as a caterpillar.

GREYLING Hipparchia semele
Very rare at Bayfield – recorded just once, in summer 2019 (in a polytunnel).  Flight season mid July–early September. The caterpillars feed on various rough grasses. Overwinters as a caterpillar.

GATEKEEPER
Pyronia tithonus
Very common at Bayfield. Flight season mid June–late August. The caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Smaller and brighter than meadow brown, with bright orange patches on the upperwings.

MEADOW BROWN Maniola jurtina
Very common at Bayfield. Flight season late May–late September. The caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Often becomes tatty with age, and may fade so much that the marking are hard to see.

RINGLET
Aphantopus hyperantus
Very common at Bayfield. Flight season June–August. The caterpillars feed on various coarse grasses, such as Cock’s-foot and False Brome. Overwinters as a caterpillar. Meadow Brown can be as dark above, so check for the pattern of white rings on the underwing.