Butterflies of the Chilterns
The open chalk grasslands of the Chilterns National Landscape are a marvellous place to see butterflies.
There are 39 known species of butterfly in the Chilterns, each with its own habitat, which provides it with food, shelter, and place to lay eggs.
Spotting butterflies is an enjoyable pastime, but it is also very important. Recording the butterflies you see can help reveal the impact of climate change and other environmental pressures on our butterfly populations.
Here is a selection of butterfly species found in the Chilterns, including information on where you can spot them and when you are likely to see them.
Common, widespread whites
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Green-veined white
Similar to other whites but has streaked, green-grey lines on underside. Can be spotted from April to September in damp, lush areas. |
Brimstone
Buttery or green-yellow in colour. Pointy wing-tips with no black. Female is paler. Can be spotted from April to September. |
Large white
Black marks at wing tips, continuing along the outer edge in an unbroken, “L” shape. Can be spotted from April to September. |
Grasslands
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Marbled white
Large with black and white chequerboard pattern. Can be spotted in grasslands from May to August. |
Brown argus
Small, brown with strong orange ‘lozenges’ on all wing edges. Can be spotted from May to September. |
Chalk hill blue
Light, sky blue in colour with thick black wing edges. Females are brown, not blue. Can be spotted July to September. |
Rough, scrubby or sheltered grassland or glades
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Small copper
Tiny, orange, triangular. Very similar to the Essex Skipper. Underside of antennae tips is orange. Can be spotted May to September. |
Duke of Burgundy
Very rare. Dark brown with orange netted wing pattern. Can be spotted April to May on scrubby chalk grass with primula. |
Speckled wood
Brown with white and black speckles. Found in sun-speckled wooded clearings with grasses. Can be spotted from May to September. |
Scrub, hedgerows and gardens
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Holly blue
Pale blue. No orange on underside. Can be spotted from May to September, often in gardens, parks and churchyards. |
Comma
Our only butterfly with a wavy edge. Orange with dark patches. Found on the edges of scrub woodland and spotted from May to September. |
Red admiral
Found anywhere with nectar. Black with rich orange-red and white markings with blue dots. Can be spotted from May to September. |
Trees, woodlands, glades and rides
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White admiral
Very large. Dark brown/black with white patches. Can be spotted from June to August in woodland and clearing edges. |
Purple hairstreak
Small. Dark grey with lighter wing edges and purple-blue wing patches. Can be spotted from June to August. |
Silver-washed fritillary
Large and orange with brown spots. Glides in |
Get involved
Butterfly Conservation has a free app that will guide you through the identification of any butterfly that you see, anywhere in the UK, and allow you to add your sighting to millions of other valuable records. Simply by recording some basic information about the butterflies that you enjoy watching, even if just from your garden, you can make a real contribution to their conservation.
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