Where they live
The best butterfly woods have a range of different trees, and sunny clearings filled with shrubs and wildflowers. Most species prefer open broadleaf or mixed woods near grassy areas. Some, like the speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria), prefer shaded forests.
We encourage colonies by planting a mix of trees and creating sunlit glades wherever possible.
What they eat
Butterfly diets vary. The small, fast-flying chequered skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) collects nectar from bluebells in woodland clearings. While the purple hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus) feeds on honeydew it ‘milks’ from aphids in oakwoods.
Caterpillar's diet is different. Butterflies lay their eggs on or near good sources of caterpillar food. The pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne) looks for abundant dog-violet leaves and somewhere warm because its caterpillars can't digest food if they're cold. To help this very rare butterfly, we cut back young trees on sunny south-facing slopes and leave dead bracken for the caterpillar to sunbathe on.
How to see them in the wild
Use this handy butterfly identification guide to help you decide which butterfly you’ve seen.
View Butterfly Conservation's identification guide
Where you can see them
Some nice butterfly sites in summer are:
- Kinloch on Skye
- Mabie Nature Reserve near Dumfries
- Glen Creran near Oban
When you can see them
Warm, sunny days when they're flying. Most butterflies fly for only a few weeks between April and September.