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Wingspan Male: 56 - 64mm Female: 58 - 66mm Photo © Pete Eeles

White Admiral Limenitis camilla li-men-EYE-tiss ka-MI-luh B&F No.: 1584

Superfamily: Papilionoidea Family: Nymphalidae Subfamily: Limenitinae Genus: Limenitis Subgenus:   Species: camilla (Linnaeus, 1764) Subspecies: camilla (Linnaeus, 1764)

Introduction Phenology Habitat Larval Foodplants Nectar Sources Imago

Ovum Larva Pupa Similar Species Videos

Sites Conservation Status Links References

	Introduction

The White Admiral is a woodland species and a delight to behold as it literally glides along forest rides, flying from tree to forest floor and back up with only a few effortless wing beats. For this reason, some of its closest relatives on the continent are known as "gliders". When settled, the adults are unmistakable, with their black uppersides intersected by prominent white bars. The undersides of this butterfly are, however, in complete contrast to the black-and-white uppersides, and are surely one of the most beautiful of all species found in the British Isles.

The butterfly is found in central and southern England, south of a line between South Devon in the west and North Lincolnshire in the east, as well as in a few scattered colonies in the eastern counties of Wales. It is not found in Scotland, Ireland or the Isle of Man. The distribution of this species in the early 1900s had declined to the point that it was restricted to southern England. However, there seems to have been a reversal of fortunes, with the butterfly reaching its former distribution that extends as far north as Lincolnshire. One explanation is that global warming has allowed the species to thrive at sites that had become too cool. Another is that the cessation of coppicing, that has been detrimental to so many woodland butterflies, has benefited this species which requires Honeysuckle growing in shady woodland for the successful development of its larvae.

Subspecies: Limenitis camilla camilla

The nominate subspecies was first defined in Linnaeus (1764) as shown here (type locality: Germany). The population in the British Isles is represented by this subspecies.

Male Photo © Pete Eeles

Male Underside Photo © nfreem

Female Photo © Sussex Kipper

Female Underside Photo © Pete Eeles

	Phenology

Adults emerge in the second half of June and peak in the first part of July. There is usually one brood each year but, in some years, there may be a partial second brood in late summer.

Subspecies: Limenitis camilla camilla

The chart(s) above have been correlated with the phenology plot below, taken from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. The blue line gives average counts over the full data set from 1976 to date, and the red line gives the average for the last year.

	Habitat

This is a woodland butterfly and is found in deciduous woods throughout its distribution. However, it can also be found in conifer plantations, so long as Honeysuckle is available in suitable locations.

	Larval Foodplants

The primary larval foodplant is Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum).

	Nectar Sources

Adults feed primarily on Honeydew / Sap (). Betony (Stachys officinalis), Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), Hogweed / Angelica (Umbelliferae), Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and Thistles (Cirsium spp. and Carduus spp.) are also used.

	Imago

Males and females are similar in appearance, although females are slightly browner and larger, and have more-rounded wings. The adults feed from honeydew and are particularly partial to Bramble blossom. It is not uncommon, on good sites, to see several White Admiral all feeding from the same Bramble patch. A downside of this, however, is that their wings can get tatty very quickly, as they move around Bramble blossom, probing for nectar. The adults will also feed on salts and minerals from moist earth and animal droppings.

The behaviour of the female when egg-laying is in complete contrast to the normal soaring flights, making her easy to spot. The female flits low in undergrowth or through shaded woodland, stopping every now and again on the foodplant to lay a single egg. The female selects Honeysuckle that is in partial shade, often at the edge of a woodland ride or in lightly-shaded woodland. She also selects leaves on straggly pieces of isolated plant, rather than the lushest leaves that are often growing in full sun.

Subspecies: Limenitis camilla camilla

Photo © Pete Eeles 25-Jun-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 29-Jun-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 03-Jun-2007	Photo © Pete Eeles 11-Jun-2004
Photo © Pete Eeles 15-Jun-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-Jun-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 20-Jun-2005	Photo © geniculata
Photo © Clive Burrows	Photo © Pete Eeles 01-Jul-2010	Photo © Vince Massimo 05-Jul-2010	Photo © Vince Massimo 05-Jul-2010
Photo © Pete Eeles	Photo © Pete Eeles	Photo © Pete Eeles	Photo © Pete Eeles
Photo © Pete Eeles	Photo © Pawpawsaurus 01-Jul-2011	Photo © millerd 01-Jul-2011	Photo © millerd 28-Jun-2010
Photo © nfreem 04-Jul-2011	Photo © jamesweightman 23-Jul-2012	Photo © Sussex Kipper 30-Jun-2010	Photo © Sussex Kipper 14-Jun-2011
Photo © Sussex Kipper 14-Jun-2011	Photo © Sussex Kipper 23-Jun-2010

	Aberrations

Description to be completed. Click here to see a full list of aberrations for this species.

ab. nigrina (Weymer.Jahrber.Elberf.1884.6.p.66.pl.2.f.4-5.)

The upperside completely black, the white bands entirely absent. This covers the last part of the description of obliterata Shipp which says that the small white patch is sometimes also absent leaving the wings all black, nigrina having priority, only the first part of Shipp's description can apply to his obliterata.

Photo © Martin Jenkins

Photo © Martin Jenkins

Photo © Sussex Kipper 02-Jul-2010

Photo © Sussex Kipper 02-Jul-2010

ab. obliterae (Robson & Gardner.Young Nat."List of Vars" 1886.p.3.)

The white bands almost obliterated or suffused. The form would seem to be transitional to ab.obliterata Shipp in which the white bands are reduced to small patches or patch, this, also, sometimes obsolete. When no white remains, the form belongs to nigrina Weymer.

Photo © Trev Sawyer	Photo © Pete Eeles 02-Jul-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 02-Jul-2009	Photo © Pete Eeles 02-Jul-2009
Photo © Trevor Sawyer	Photo © Gruditch 28-Jun-2009	Photo © Sussex Kipper 07-Jul-2007	Photo © Colin Knight 04-Jul-2010
Photo © Sussex Kipper 30-Jun-2010	Photo © Sussex Kipper 30-Jun-2010

	Ovum

Eggs are laid singly on the upperside of a leaf of the foodplant, close to the leaf edge. Most eggs are laid less than two metres from the ground. The egg is a curious shape, looking rather like a miniature golf ball covered in miniscule hairs. This stage lasts about a week.

Photo © Pete Eeles 08-Jul-2005

Photo © Nick Sampford

Photo © Pete Eeles

	Larva

On emerging from the egg, the light brown larva eats the shell before moving to the leaf tip to feed. Here is feeds on each side of the midrib on which it rests, leaving the midrib intact, producing characteristic feeding damage that is quite easy to spot. The larva initially decorates itself with faeces that it uses for camouflage, although this is abandoned after a week or so, after which the larva rests quite openly on the midrib.

Toward the end of the summer after the second moult, the larva builds a winter retreat, known as a hibernaculum. This is constructed by securing a leaf to the twig with silk (so that the leaf remains attached to the foodplant even after it has died), removing the edges of the leaf, and then folding what remains of the leaf edges together, forming a compartment within which the larva overwinters.

The larva emerges from the hibernaculum in the spring and, at the final moult, turns green in colour and starts to feed on the leaf edges rather than from the tip. The full-grown and exotic larva is a spectacular beast that would not look out of place in an Amazonian rainforest. It also has a curious habit of resting along the centre of a leaf with both front and back ends raised. There are 4 moults in total.

Photo © Pete Eeles 03-May-2007	Photo © Pete Eeles 05-May-2004	Hibernaculum Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 16-May-2005
Photo © Pete Eeles 16-May-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 20-May-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 24-May-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 28-May-2004
Photo © Pete Eeles 30-May-2009

	Pupa

The pupa is typically formed upside down under a leaf or stem of the foodplant, secured by the cremaster. This stage is, again, a very curious shape, with two prominent horns on the head, and a curious protrusion at the back. This stage lasts 2 to 3 weeks.

Photo © Mikhail	Photo © Pete Eeles 12-Jun-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 19-Jun-2005	Photo © Pete Eeles 28-May-2004
Photo © Pete Eeles 31-May-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 30-May-2009

	Similar Species

No similar species found.

	Videos

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	Sites

Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.

	Conservation Status

This species has shown worrying declines in terms of distribution and population at monitored sites and is therefore a priority species for conservation efforts. Although numbers at existing sites have fallen, the expansion of the range of this species does appear to have continued in the last decade.

UK BAP Status	Distribution Trend	Population Trend
Priority Species Click here to access the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for this species.

From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).

	Links

The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.

• British Butterflies by Steven Cheshire
• European Butterflies by Christopher Jonko
• European Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
• Guy Padfield's European Butterfly Page
• Learn About Butterflies by Adrian Hoskins
• Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
• Natural History Museum (Cockayne Database)
• UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme

	References

The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:

• Asher (2001). Asher, J., Warren, M., Fox, R., Harding, P., Jeffcoate, G. and Jeffcoate, S.: The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. 2001.
• Fox (2006). Fox, R., Asher, J., Brereton, T., Roy, D. and Warren, M.: The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. 2006.
• Frohawk (1914). Frohawk, F.W.: A Natural History of British Butterflies. 1914.
• Howarth (1973). Howarth, T.G.: South's British Butterflies. 1973.
• Nash (2012). Nash, D., Boyd, T. and Hardiman, D.: Ireland's Butterflies: A Review. 2012.
• Riley (2007). Riley, A.M.: British and Irish Butterflies: The Complete Identification, Field and Site Guide to the Species, Subspecies and Forms. 2007.
• South (1906). South, R.: The Butterflies Of The British Isles. 1906.
• Thomas & Lewington (2010). Thomas, J. and Lewington, R.: The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. Edn.2. 2010.

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