Best time to see: mid Jun to mid Jul
Key facts
A butterfly of open woodlands, and one of Britain's rarest
Habitat: warm sunny spots sheltered by trees or shrubs with plenty of the main foodplant, Cow-wheat
Colonies survive in just a few sites in southern England, including several in Essex to which it was reintroduced
Recognition
Upperside has a network of dark lines and bars on an orange-brown background; underside paler with white bands
Males patrol woodland rides and clearings continuously with a weak gliding flight, pausing to feed
Colonies move from one clearing to another as trees shade them out; wingspan around 4 cm
Lifecycle
Eggs laid in summer, usually under bramble leaves, in large clusters near the foodplant, mainly Common Cow-wheat
Caterpillars, black with bristly rows of cones, hibernate in groups among dead leaves, basking openly the following spring
They pupate in late Spring, adults emerging through June and July
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© Dennis Carter
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© Iris Newbery