Butterfly guide: how to identify UK butterfly species

What butterfly have I seen?

The UK has 59 different butterfly species, each playing an important role in pollination. Whether you’ve spotted a deep-red peacock butterfly or the well-disguised brimstone, here are a few species found along our canals.

Peacock butterfly

Bright red wings with black markings, peacock butterflies are one of our most popular species. So-called for the blue spots on the forewings and hindwings, resembling the 'eyes' of peacock feathers, which ward off predators.

As caterpillars, they're jet black with small white spots.

Red admiral butterfly

These butterflies are large, strong fliers with red stripes on the wings and white spots towards the tips of the forewings.

As caterpillars, red admiral butterflies are black and spiny with fine hairs and a yellow stripe along its underside.

Small tortoiseshell butterfly

Small tortoiseshell butterflies have red-orange wings with black and yellow markings and a ring of blue spots on the tips. These butterflies are seen in the late summer and throughout September.

Common blue butterfly

Males are bright blue with brown lining around the wingtips and a white fringe. Females are a light brown colour, with blue dusting close to the body and a white fringe.

Large white butterfly

Large white butterflies have brilliant white wings with one or two black spots. They have a wingspan of 5.8-6.3cm and are, as the name suggests, larger than other white butterflies.

Brimstone butterfly

Masters of disguise, brimstone butterflies are medium sized with wings that blend in with their surroundings. Their wingspan can grow up to 6cm. Females have veiny, pale green, leaf-shaped wings with orange spots. Males are similar but with a stronger yellow-green colouring.

Brimstone butterflies are one of the first butterflies to emerge from hibernation. You might see them on early warm spring days. They live in damp woodlands and mature hedgerows.

As caterpillars, brimstones are pale green. They're similarly camouflaged against the green of the leaves they eat.

Meadow brown butterfly

Meadow brown butterflies are brown with washed-out orange markings. They're most identifiable by two eyespots on their forewings. These spots each have one white pupil.

Meadow brown butterflies are medium-sized with a 4-6cm wingspan. They're a common sighting in grassland. Unlike other butterflies, the meadow brown still flies in duller weather and is on the wing from June to September.

Males are much more active than females, who spend more of their time hiding in the grass.

Speckled wood butterfly

Speckled wood butterflies are a warm brown colour with cream spots. They have one eyespot on the forewings and three on the hindwings. They have a 4.6-5.6cm wingspan.

Active between March and October, you might spot speckled wood in grasslands, hedgerows, woodlands, or gardens.

As caterpillars, speckled woods are bright green with dark green and yellow stripes.

Gatekeeper butterfly

Gatekeeper butterflies are rigorous patrollers of hedges and woodland rides. They're brown and orange with black spots on their wings containing two smaller white dots. Males are slightly smaller, with dark markings on the forewings.

Gatekeepers are widespread across England and Wales, thriving in scrubland and along hedgerows.

As caterpillars, they're either light brown or green.