Aristocrats (Nymphalidae)
This is the large, colourful and showy group of butterflies. Most are widespread and familiar in gardens, but two are quite specialist.
Comma - A widespread and common garden butterfly. Unique with it's ragged wing outline. Named after the white mark on its underwing.
Painted Lady - This is a migrant species from North Africa. Their numbers vary year on year, but some arrive each year. Some people can confuse them with the Tortoiseshell, but they are quite different if you compare them closely.
Peacock - The large eyes on the wings make this large butterfly unmistakable. Sadly it has declined quite dramatically in recent years. Hopefully this will be a short-term blip.
Purple Emperor - This is the one. With the exception of the Swallowtail this is our largest butterfly, and also one of the hardest to see. If you are lucky enough to find a newly emerged male, in the right light they are stunning. In most light conditions they are a dull dark brown. However if the light just happens to hit both wings at he right angle you get the highly sought after 'double purple'. (photo 4 is a male, just like photo 1, but without the right angle of light). They can only be seen for a couple of weeks a year, as they generally stay in the tree tops, and then only at very few locations. A real challenge to see and photograph and not one for the half-hearted. Like the Brown Hairstreak, it took me three annual trips to see them at Fermyn Woods.
Red Admiral - One of our largest and most striking butterflies. Another migrant, but they tend to arrive reliably each year and in large numbers. Tend to be most numerous later in the season, around August. Just when there's plenty of fallen fruit around for them. A few over-winter and it's possible to see them even in the Winer months, on a nice day.
Small Tortoiseshell - Another striking species which has severely declined in number over recent years. You appreciate every sighting nowadays. They can still be found in many gardens though.
White Admiral - A much rarer species than the Red Admiral. They breed here but are generally confined to woodlands. Similar to the Purple Emperor but a little smaller and always a very dark brown colour. Stunning underwing too but without the eye of the purple emperor.
