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The Butterfly Lady, Neath (Castell-nedd) (2026)

22/10/2026

FRIDAY FLUTTER #42: Species Of The Week – Heath Fritillary (Melitaea athalia)

The Heath Fritillary is a species of Butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found throughout the Palaearctic from western Europe to Japan, in heathland, grassland, and in coppiced woodland. It is considered a threatened species in the UK and Germany, but not Europe-wide or globally. This rare Butterfly was on the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but conservation action turned its fortunes around. It is protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 and a priority species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. Sadly it is now one of our rarest Butterflies even though it has been saved from the brink of extinction by the concerted action of conservationists.

It is confined to a small number of sites in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Kent, and has also been reintroduced into sites in Essex. Although very local in its distribution, this Butterfly can be seen in large numbers in good years. It forms discrete colonies and rarely strays from its main breeding grounds.

The upperside is predominantly dark brown and orange brown, with the orange-brown spots delineated by dark brown (along and across the wing veins); there is a white fringe to the wings through which the dark brown extends. The upperside of the body is a similar dark brown to the colour on the wing, and the base of both wings is dark brown. The underside shows bands of red and off-white, again with each vein dark brown and each colour delineated by dark brown. The pattern of white spots at the base of the hindwing (visible at rest) is diagnostic for identification.

The Heath Fritillary is distinguished by its dusky wing colours, but is variable in terms of both the colour and the pattern of the wings. It is restricted to a few specialised habitats where it flies close to the ground with characteristic flits and glides. The species has historically been linked with the traditional practice of woodland coppicing, giving it the nickname of the 'Woodman's Follower' as it follows the cycle of cutting around a wood.

This Butterfly prefers sunny, warm and sheltered habitats of two main types; coppiced or newly felled woodland on acid soils (where Common Cow-wheat is abundant), and sheltered heathland valleys on Exmoor (where Common Cow-wheat grows as scattered plants on mineral soils amongst vegetation dominated by Bilberry). It is known for a low, flutter-and-glide flight pattern. They are generally on the wing May to July (sometimes stretching into August). Heath Fritillary are a small Butterfly with a typical wing span of 39 to 50 mm.

I visited several of the known locations of reintroduction in the course of four years trying to spot a Heath Fritillary. I finally got lucky on the fourth year when visiting a Cornwall site, there were several on the wing and I managed a few decent photo's. It was well worth the time and effort because they are so beautiful, and being so rare to see one is amazing, to see several is a miracle!

Have you ever seen a Heath Fritillary Butterfly?

Acknowledgements:
Featured Photo by Butterfly Whisperer UK
(the Butterfly branch of Utopia Photography)
aka The Butterfly Lady.

Disclaimer: This feature was written from a combination of my own words plus some information borrowed from various other sources. ..................

22/10/2026

I have been very unwell this week battling with a tooth abscess, chest infection/cough and flu at the same time, so I haven't been able to do the friday post early because I won't be here tomorrow (friday) as previously posted about.

I have a 200 mile each way journey for a family funeral tomorrow. The journey is nothing as I routinely drive 200-400 miles each way for my road trips, but this time there is a major storm due to arrive at the same time I will be on the road.

However I had initially planned to leave home by midnight as usual, so I wouldn't have been able to post tomorrow ... but even with a raging storm it has been decided to leave home later, so I will be able to post in the early hours before I go! x

16/10/2026

FRIDAY FLUTTER #41: Species Of The Week – Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

The Small Heath is a Butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae, classified within the subfamily Satyrinae. It is the smallest Butterfly in this subfamily. The Small Heath is diurnal and flies with a noticeable fluttering flight pattern near the ground. It is an inconspicuous Butterfly that flies only in sunshine and rarely settles more than a metre above the ground. Its wings are always kept closed when at rest, with the eye spot clearly visible which acts as a deterrent to predators. The number of broods and the flight periods are variable.

This relatively widespread "Brown" Butterfly can occupy a range of habitat types and, although its range has changed little, many colonies have disappeared in recent decades. It is widespread in Britain and Ireland. As it's name suggests, this is a small Butterfly, the wing span is typically 34-38mm. Although it is said to be widespread, it is not as common as it once was, and because numbers are actually falling it is listed on the GB Red List as vulnerable and is a high priority on the conservation list.

Small Heath occurs on grassland where there are fine grasses, especially in dry, well-drained situations where the sward is short and sparse. Typical habitats include; heathland, downland and coastal dunes, but it is also found on road verges, moorland and in woodland rides. It is the smallest of our Brown Butterflies. It lives in discrete colonies and adults rarely venture far from the colony. However, the occasional adult will venture further afield and will colonise nearby habitat if it is suitable.

Adults are on the wing from April to September in some places, and appear in two or three broods. Caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses such as fescues and meadow-grasses. The Small Heath is a light orange Butterfly, with one eyespot on each forewing. The underside of its hindwings is browny-grey in colour. Despite its name, the Small Heath is not confined to heathland and can be found in a wide variety of habitats. It is closer in size to a Skipper, Common Blue or Brown Argus than its relatives, such as the Meadow Brown. However, its fluttering flight is quite different from that of the skippers and blues and is relatively-easy to identify in the field.

A quick glimpse of a small pale orangey brown Butterfly should make you think Small Heath or Small Copper, but when they settle the difference is very plain. Female Blues are brown, but all are of a much darker shade. If you are on heathland, beware confusing it with the Common Heath Moth, which looks similar in flight, though not at rest. The Small Heath is like a miniature Gatekeeper, though the orange is paler. Size is the easiest identifier. They will show the forewing when they first land, so any bird coming after them will peck at this, rather than at their body; if no threat is sensed it will fold their forewing down to conceal the eyespot. When the forewing is not exposed they are well camouflaged, and you can usually just find them by accidentally disturbing them.

Males compete strongly for females, and will gather around certain bushes and trees, where they fight for possession of the best perches on which to await females. The females will come to these places to find a male with which to mate, but will then go to find suitable places to lay eggs, seeking them with short, fluttery flights.
Males are usually smaller and brighter than the female but there is little other difference: the basic colour is quite variable in both.

I used to see lots of Small Heath when out and about in my younger days, but not so many around now. However, on the occasions that I am out and don't see any other Butterfly species at all during my field trips, more often than not before I go home I would have seen at least one Small Heath, they seem to still be out a bit later in the day and withstand slightly cooler conditions than most, even though as already said, they favour bright sunshine.

Have you ever encountered a Small Heath Butterfly?

Acknowledgements:
Featured Photo by Butterfly Whisperer UK
(the Butterfly branch of Utopia Photography)
aka The Butterfly Lady.

Disclaimer: This feature was written from a combination of my own words plus some information borrowed from various other sources. ..................

09/10/2026

FRIDAY FLUTTER #40: Species Of The Week – Large Blue (Maculinea arion)

The Large Blue is a rare species of Butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The species was first defined in 1758 and first recorded in Britain in 1795. Despite its name, the Large Blue is a fairly small Butterfly with a typical wingspan of 3.8-5.2cm, but it is the largest of our blues.

The Large Blue is a fairly dark blue Butterfly with thick, dark grey wing borders and large dark spots on the forewings, it is distinguished by the unmistakable row of black spots on its upper forewing. the undersides are pale brown with black spots. The Large Blue is one of our most enigmatic Butterflies.

It is a protected species in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, a priority species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework, a European protected species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive, and listed as near threatened on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is only found at a handful of sites. The species has always been rare in Britain, it was declared extinct in 1979 then reintroduced in the 1980s from continental Europe as part of a long-term conservation project. However despite some success with reintroduction, it is still declining throughout its world range and is endangered globally.

A coordinated programme to protect the Large Blue runs in the south of England. The Wildlife Trusts are one of a number of partners involved in ensuring proper management of grassland sites and monitoring of populations.

Adults fly for a very short period from the end of June to the beginning of July. It has always been rare in the UK, but declined dramatically during the 20th century and became nationally extinct in 1979. It breeds in warm, dry, unimproved grasslands, such as coastal or limestone grasslands.

The Large Blue has a very strange life-cycle. The caterpillars first feed on wild thyme, but then drop onto the ground and are carried away by ants who mistake them for ant grubs and return them to their nest. Here, the caterpillars feed on the ant grubs themselves, rapidly growing in size before turning into chrysalises.

It is a species I had wanted to see for many years but having been declared extinct in UK I thought I would never see one. Then I read about small colonies that exist through the reintroduction programme, so I paid a visit to the nearest known location in the hopes of seeing one. The location is in the west country so a few hours drive for me, and once there it involves a very steep uphill walk plus the site itself is on a steep sloping hillside, meaning it is impossible to walk normally it requires walking with one side/foot higher than the other!

It took three visits to see one that flew straight past me then disappeared, and a further two visits to actually manage a couple of photo's (including the featured photo)- but at least I had known previously that I was in the right place!

They are super little Butterflies, extremely pretty, very fast and active flyers, but difficult to keep up with in order to track one that is settled still enough and long enough to photograph, it takes a great deal of patience!

Have you ever been lucky enough to see a Large Blue Butterfly?

Acknowledgements:
Featured Photo by Butterfly Whisperer UK
(the Butterfly branch of Utopia Photography)
aka The Butterfly Lady.

Disclaimer: This feature was written from a combination of my own words plus some information borrowed from various other sources. ..................

02/10/2026

FRIDAY FLUTTER #39: Species Of The Week – Silver-Studded Blue (Plebejus argus)

The Silver-Studded Blue is a Butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It has bright blue wings rimmed in black with white edges and silver spots on its hindwings, lending it its name. Males are blue with a dark border. Females are brown with a row of red spots. Undersides are brown-grey with black spots, a row of orange spots, and small greenish flecks on the outer margin. Males are similar to Common Blue, which lacks the greenish spots.

This small Butterfly is found mainly in heathland where the silvery-blue wings of the males provide a marvellous sight as they fly low over the heather. The females are far less conspicuous, but like the male, have distinct metallic spots on the hindwing - they have a wing span of 29-31mm. In the late afternoon adults often congregate to roost on sheltered bushes or grass tussocks from June to August.

The Silver-Studded Blue has a restricted distribution but occurs in large numbers in suitable heathland and coastal habitats. It has undergone a major decline through most of its range. They are quite rare and are Listed on Section 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, on the GB Red List (2022) as Vulnerable, and are protected under Schedule 5 of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. hey can mostly be found in England but have been seen in parts of Wales.

The caterpillars of the Silver-Studded Blue have a close relationship with ants! The ants protect the caterpillars from predators and parasites, in return they get to feed on a sugary substance that the caterpillars produce. When the caterpillars are ready to pupate, they do so in a shallow chamber just below the ground - often in ant nests. The ants will attend the pupa just as they did the caterpillar, and can even be seen swarming around the newly-emerged adult Butterflies, offering them some protection as they wait for their wings to dry.

I used to see these little beauties a lot when I was younger especially on family days out in the countryside, but hadn't seen any for a long time. Around two yeqars ago I visited a new-to-me location in Dorset looking for a different Butterfly (which I didn't find) but came across an open heath area of Heather and other wild flowers, and literally hundreds of Silver-Studded Blue darting about from flower to flower and enjoying the sunshine. The blue on the males is so pretty and the females, although mostly brown, can exhibit other colours shimmering as they fly around in the sunlight.

Have you ever seen a Silver-Studded Blue Butterfly?

Acknowledgements:
Featured Photo by Butterfly Whisperer UK
(the Butterfly branch of Utopia Photography)
aka The Butterfly Lady.

Disclaimer: This feature was written from a combination of my own words plus some information borrowed from various other sources.
..................

26/09/2026

I just invested in a standalone pay-as-you-go portable card reader station, so when I do Butterfly Lady stalls in future I will be able to take cash, card, contactless, paypal and bank transfer payments x

25/09/2026

FRIDAY FLUTTER #38: Species Of The Week – Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)

The Brown Argus is a Butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. This small Butterfly is characteristic of southern chalk and limestone grassland but occurs in a variety of other open habitats as far north as north Wales and Yorkshire.

Adults have a silvery appearance as they fly low to the ground and stop frequently to perch or feed on flowers. They have a 2.5-3.1cm wing span, and despite being brown, they are in the Blue Butterflies family. Unlike most other "blues", the Brown Argus has no blue scales on its upperside, both sexes being primarily brown in colour as its common name suggests, although the Butterfly can exhibit a blue sheen when at certain angles to the light. Both sexes have beautiful orange spots on the upperside of both forewings and hindwings. Both male and female Brown Argus typically feature a prominent black spot near the centre of their upper forewings.

The main habitats are chalk and limestone grassland. However, the Butterfly can occur in a range of habitats with disturbed soils including coastal grassland and dunes, woodland clearings, heathland, disused railway lines and road verges. The Brown Argus is not a rare species and has actually expanded its range in recent decades. Brown Argus are common and widespread across central and southern England, parts of Wales, and spreading. They can typically be seen on the wing from May to September. Adults feed on common rock-rose, which is also the caterpillars' foodplant, together with various species like crane's-bills.

The Brown Argus has bronzy-brown upperwings with an orange band of spots across the edge of each wing. It is very similar to the female common blue, but tends to be smaller, with no hint of blue in the wings or body. A very close relative, the Northern Brown Argus, is found in northern England and Scotland and is a Priority species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. The Northern Brown Argus does not usually have very prominent orange spots on the forewing, and is nationally scarce and threatened.

Although I remember seeing many Brown Argus Butterflies when I was younger, I hadn't seen any for many years. In the past few years I have been hoping to see and photograph them but have been unlucky - until August this year (2026). I took a Brown Argus field trip to the Cotswolds and Wiltshire hoping to find some. When I got to the Cotswolds location, which was new to me, I found the layout was nothing like it had been described to me, and wandered around aimlessly for a few hours hoping I will find the Brown Argus meadow. Unknown to me I had actually been in the meadow - but I found out the next day it had all been mown 2 days before I was there, and so the Butterflies had moved on.

By the time I got to the Wiltshire location, again a new one for me, I was already very tired. But I took a walk up and around the location, the sun was beating down on me (which I love) and there were no places to rest or get a moment's shade. I had seen people posting about Brown Argus Butterflies they had seen and photographed there the day before, but there were no Butterflies of any description on site. I wandered around for three hours before I decided to head back to my car, and I did actually manage to spot and photograph two Small Copper, but no Brown Argus.

Butterfly/Wildlife photography takes patience and dedication and I don't give up easily. Then suddenly it happened - I was about half way back to my car when a beautiful Brown Argus landed in the drought/heatwave dried grass a few feet from where I was standing (featured photo), I managed to get a few photo's before he flew away, then another one landed on the same bit of dried grass! - I was delighted, just one Butterfly of any species will make my efforts worthwhile, but one or two of the target species is even better! They are so tiny and cute, fragile looking but feisty, and huge characters packed into such a little Butterfly body!

Have you ever seen a Brown Argus Butterfly?

Acknowledgements:
Featured Photo by Butterfly Whisperer UK
(the Butterfly branch of Utopia Photography)
aka The Butterfly Lady.

Disclaimer: This feature was written from a combination of my own words plus some information borrowed from various other sources.
...................

23/09/2026

Small Tortoiseshell in the front garden when I got home with the pots ... a very welcome visitor! x

23/09/2026

OMG I thought I found a snake lurking under my mini greenhouse just now, I nearly had heart failure! Panic over, it's just a stick! Phew! Lol x

23/09/2026

Today's fab gifted pots, they are nice and big ... the oval one I might put herbs in, it's quite unusual! x

The Butterfly Lady

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