Butterflies

Lepidoptera The Clouded Yellow Butterfly – Colias Edusa Not only are this and the last species similarly named, but a glance at the figures will show that they much resemble each other in appearance; and we shall also learn presently that in their habits and life history they have much in common. The male Edusa […]

Lepidoptera The Chalk-hill Blue Butterfly – Lycana Corydon Fig. 91.-The Chalk Hill Blue-Under Side. The male of this species (Plate VII, fig. 1) is readily to be distinguished from all other members of the genus by its pale glossy blue, but the female (fig. 2 of Plate VII) so closely resembles that of Bellargus that […]

Lepidoptera The Orange Tip Butterfly – Euchloe Cardamines No one could possibly mistake the male of this species for any other British butterfly, the popular name alone giving quite sufficient information for its identification, but the female Orange Tip is not tipped with orange, and its markings, both above and beneath, resemble those of Daplidice […]

Lepidoptera The Marbled White Butterfly – Melanargia Galatea Our first member of this family is the exception to which we have already alluded as a relief to the general dinginess of the ‘Browns.’ Its colours above are cream and black, arranged as shown in Plate V, fig. 2. The under side (fig. 77) is marked […]

Lepidoptera The Dingy Skipper Butterfly – Nisoniades Tages Colour-a dingy brown, indistinctly barred and spotted with a darker tint, and having a row of small white spots just inside the fringe of the hind margins. Under side-a paler brown, with rows of small white spots. This butterfly is common in all parts of England, and […]

Lepidoptera The Large Blue Butterfly – Lycana Arion The last of our Blues is the largest of the genus, and is, with the exception of Semiargus, the rarest. It is a very local insect, appearing in small numbers, during June and July, in parts of South Devon, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and a few other counties. Fig. […]

Lepidoptera The Small Skipper Butterfly – Hesperia Thaumas In briefly describing the various British butterflies no mention has been made, except in a few cases, of the shape of the wings, this matter having been left to the reader’s own observations of our illustrations. We will, however, call attention to the somewhat square-cut form of […]

Lepidoptera The Heath Fritillary Butterfly – Melitaa Athalia Both the upper and under sides of this butterfly are shown on Plate III (figs. 5 and 6), and it will be observed from these that its general appearance is very similar to that of Cinxia. The upper surface is of the same tawny brown, barred and […]

Lepidoptera The Small Heath Butterfly – Canonympha Pamphilus The last member of the family Satyrida is the well-known Small Heath, that may be seen almost all over the British Isles on heaths, meadows and moors, from May to September. The upper surface of this butterfly (Plate VI, fig. 2) is a tawny yellow, with a […]

Lepidoptera The Camberwell Beauty Butterfly – Vanessa Antiopa The reader will be fortunate if he succeeds in netting a specimen of this highly prized British butterfly. It derives its popular name from the fact that a few were taken in Camberwell about a hundred and fifty years ago; and since that time it has been […]