GALLERY
Group: BUTTERFLIES
Peacock (Aglais io)
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 27 August 2022
About: Peacock butterflies can now be found in most corners of Great Britain, following an expansion in their northern distribution in recent decades. The larvae feed on nettles.
Date range for adult records: 3 May to 9 September
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 16 August 2021
About: Being catholic in their habitat tastes, small tortoiseshells can be encountered in locations ranging from town centres to clearings deep in the forest. They occur across the full extent of Great Britain, and their caterpillars, like those of several other butterfly species, feed on nettles.
Editor's note: The individual photographed here, in a forest clearing, was taking nectar on board from heather to help build up essential fats in preparation for overwintering.
Date range for adult records: 2 May to 22 August
♀ Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
Where and when encountered: Craigroy Wood on 5 May 2025
About: Orange-tip butterflies are expanding their distribution northwards in Great Britain and are now well-established across much of Scotland. In terms of the movement of individuals through the landscape, it is thought that they are more free-roaming in the south of Great Britain and more colony-based in the north. The larvae feed on a range of crucifers, including cuckooflower.
Editor's note: Only the male, and not the female (as in this photograph), has the orange wing-tips to which the species' vernacualr name refers.
Date range for adult records: 3 May to 3 June
♂ Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)
Where and when encountered: Glenfeshie on 10 May 2025
About: Orange-tip butterflies are expanding their distribution northwards in Great Britain and are now well-established across much of Scotland. In terms of the movement of individuals through the landscape, it is thought that they are more free-roaming in the south of Great Britain and more colony-based in the north. The larvae feed on a range of crucifers, including cuckooflower.
Date range for adult records: 3 May to 3 June
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 10 July 2022
About: Ringlets can be found in most parts of Great Britain, and their Scottish distribution is currently expanding. Their preferred breeding habitat is tall, lush grassland, and in the north of Great Britain they favour less shady areas than they do in the south.
Date range for adult records: 24 June to 25 July
Northern brown argus (Aricia artaxerxes)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 15 June 2024
About: Northern brown argus butterflies can be encountered in parts of Scotland and northern England. In Scotland, most individuals are of the race artaxerxes, with a characteristic white spot in the middle of the upper surface of each forewing (as in the photograph). The main, if not the sole, larval food-plant is common rock-rose; and the species has a preference for well-drained unimproved grasslands with no more than light grazing.
Pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)
Where and when encountered: Glenmore Forest Park on 16 May 2025
About: Scotland is a relative stronghold for pearl-bordered fritillaries in Great Britain, although declines have been suffered in recent decades throughout the country. In Scotland, these butterflies' typical breeding habitat is south-facing woodland edge with light bracken, and with violets, the larval food-plant, also present.
Small pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria selene)
Where and when encountered: Glenmore Forest Park on 24 June 2024
About: Small pearl-bordered fritillaries are widespread in Scotland and Wales but have disappeared from much of their former territory elsewhere in Great Britain. In inland Scotland, these butterflies are thought to favour grazed pasture that is lightly wooded with bracken present and violets, the larval food-plant, also in the vicinity.
Date range for adult records: 3 June to 10 July
♀♂ Green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
Where and when encountered: Abernethy Forest on 16 May 2025
About: Green hairstreaks are widespread in Great Britain but have disappeared from some corners of the country in recent times. The variety of plants exploited by the larvae include: blaeberry and cross-leaved heath on moorland; gorse, broom, and dyer's greenweed on heathland; and common rock-rose and common bird's-foot trefoil on calcareous grassland.
Date range for adult records: 24 April to 16 May
Small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 10 July 2022
About: Small heaths are relatively widespread in Great Britain and can be found in a range of habitats. The caterpillars feed on fine grasses, particularly fescues, bents, and meadow-grasses.
Date range for adult records: 8 to 10 July
Small blue (Cupido minimus)
Where and when encountered: Sluggan (Carrbridge) on 27 June 2024
About: As suggested by the vernacular name, the small blue is the smallest of Great Britain's 'blue' butterflies (those in the subfamily Polyommatinae) and, indeed, the most diminutive of all resident butterfly species. Strongholds for the small blue in Great Britain are in southern England but a cluster of sites in Strathspey constitute an important northern outpost. The larval food-plant is kidney vetch.
Scotch argus (Erebia aethiops)
Where and when encountered: Carrbridge on 2 September 2021
About: Scotch argus butterflies are declining across much of their European range but can still be found in some numbers at suitable sites in the Scottish Highlands. It is thought that the main food-plant for this species in Scotland is purple moor-grass.
Date range for adult records: 12 August to 2 September
Dingy skipper (Erynnis tages)
Where and when encountered: Auchgourish on 11 May 2025
About: Dingy skippers are a butterfly in decline in Great Britain. They are more widely distributed in England and Wales than in Scotland, where Strathspey and the Moray Firth are their strongholds (to use that term in a relative sense). The favoured larval food-plant is common bird's-foot trefoil.
Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Where and when encountered: Tarrig Mhore on 13 May 2025
About: Small coppers live in a wide variety of habitats, including unimproved grassland, woodland clearings, heathland, and moorland. They are common across much of Great Britain, but less so in the Scottish Highlands on account of their favouring of warm, dry conditions. Sorrels are the principal food-plant for larvae.
Date range for adult records: 13 May to 2 September
Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 10 July 2022
About: Meadow browns can be found across Great Britain in a wide range of grassy places. The larvae can feed on many different species of grass.
Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 6 September 2021
About: Speckled wood butterflies are most often encountered in partially shaded woodland where there is dappled sunlight. Adults generally feed on honeydew in the treetops, turning to nectar from flowers when aphid activity is low. Caterpillars of this species feed on various grasses. The species can be found across most of Great Britain but is absent from parts of northern England and southern Scotland.
Date range for adult records: 6 May to 10 September
Large white (Pieris brassicae)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 18 October 2024
About: Large whites can be found in most parts of Great Britain, although their distribution in the Scottish Highlands is rather patchy. Their larvae feed on cabbages and other brassicas and they are thus frequently encountered around allotments and other vegetable gardens.
Green-veined white (Pieris napi)
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 13 May 2025
About: Green-veined whites can be found throughout Great Britain and have the broadest distribution of the whites in Scotland. Their larvae feed on a range of crucifers.
Date range for adult records: 13 May to 18 August
Small white (Pieris rapae)
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 30 August 2024
About: Small whites can be found in almost all parts of Great Britain. Their larvae feed on cabbages and other brassicas and they are thus frequently encountered around allotments and other vegetable gardens.
Date range for adult records: 13 May to 30 August
Comma (Polygonia c-album)
Where and when encountered: Dulnain Bridge on 17 May 2024
About: Commas are unusual among Great Britain's butterfly fauna in that they are experiencing an expansion in their range. They are relative newcomers to the Scottish Highlands. The caterpillars principally use common nettle as a food-plant, but may also feed on hop, elms, currants, and willows.
Date range for adult records: 3 April to 24 August
Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)
Where and when encountered: Sluggan (Carrbridge) on 8 July 2022
About: As suggested by their vernacular name, common blues are the most frequently encountered and widespread species of blue butterfly in Great Britain. The principal larval food-plant is common bird's-foot trefoil.
Date range for adult records: 27 June to 30 August
Dark green fritillary (Speyeria aglaja)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 10 July 2022
About: Dark green fritillaries can be found in most corners of Great Britain. The adults are strong fliers. Depending on the habitat, the larvae can feed on common dog-violet, hairy violet, and marsh violet.
Date range for adult records: 10 July to 11 August
Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 26 June 2022
About: Red admirals occur throughout Great Britain, although their presence relies heavily on immigration each year from continental Europe. Their food-plant is common nettle.
Date range for adult records: 11 May to 27 June
Selected galleries
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