Species Listing

This page contains a listing of all primary species found in the UK (click here to also see secondary species). The species are organised by the family to which they belong.

Family: Hesperiidae

The Hesperiidae family contains species more commonly known as "skippers". The vernacular names follow Emmet and Heath (1990). The scientific names follow Bradley (2000).

Chequered Skipper
Carterocephalus palaemon

Small Skipper - ovum - Stockbridge Down - 24-Jul-12

Small Skipper
Thymelicus sylvestris
Photo © Pete Eeles

Essex Skipper
Thymelicus lineola

Lulworth Skipper - ova - Durlston Country Park - 30-Jul-11 [John Chapple]

Lulworth Skipper
Thymelicus acteon
Photo © John Chapple

18.8.2012 Denbies 032 silver-spotted skipper, egg after one week

Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma
Photo © hideandseek

Large Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
Photo © geniculata

Dingy Skipper - ovum - Unknown location - Unknown date (2) [REARED] [Reg Fry]

Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages
Photo © Reg Fry

Grizzled Skipper - ovum - Magdalen Hill Down - 21-May-11

Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Photo © Pete Eeles

Family: Papilionidae

The Papilionidae family contains species more commonly known as "swallowtails". The vernacular names follow Emmet and Heath (1990). The scientific names follow Bradley (2000).

Swallowtail - ovum - Malta - 10-May-10 (1)

Swallowtail
Papilio machaon
Photo © Pete Eeles

Family: Pieridae

The Pieridae family contains species more commonly known as "whites". The vernacular names follow Emmet and Heath (1990). The scientific names follow Bradley (2000).

Wood White
Leptidea sinapis
Photo © Tony Moore

Cryptic Wood White
Leptidea juvernica

Pale Clouded Yellow
Colias hyale

Berger's Clouded Yellow
Colias alfacariensis

Clouded Yellow - ovum - Thatcham - 17-Jul-12 (1) [REARED]

Clouded Yellow
Colias croceus
Photo © Pete Eeles

Brimstone - ovum - Bentley Wood - 24-Apr-04

Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni
Photo © Pete Eeles

Black-Veined White - ovum - Thatcham - 15-May-05 [REARED]

Black-veined White
Aporia crataegi
Photo © Pete Eeles

Large White - ovum - Thatcham - 14-May-07 (1) {REARED}

Large White
Pieris brassicae
Photo © Pete Eeles

Small White - ovum - Thatcham - 24-Jul-12

Small White
Pieris rapae
Photo © Pete Eeles

Green-Veined White - ovum - Woolhampton Gravel Pits - 14-Sep-11 (1)

Green-veined White
Pieris napi
Photo © Pete Eeles

Bath White
Pontia daplidice

Orange-tip - ovum - Midgham Lakes - 01-May-10 (1)

Orange-tip
Anthocharis cardamines
Photo © Pete Eeles

Family: Lycaenidae

The Lycaenidae family contains species more commonly known as "hairstreaks", "coppers" or "blues". The vernacular names follow Emmet and Heath (1990). The scientific names follow Bradley (2000).

Green Hairstreak - ovum - Greenham Common - 25-Apr-11 (1)

Green Hairstreak
Callophrys rubi
Photo © Pete Eeles

Brown Hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Photo © Gillian Thompson

Purple Hairstreak ovum - Stafford Castle 15-Nov-2011

Purple Hairstreak
Neozephyrus quercus
Photo © Tony Moore

White-letter Hairstreak ovum - Stafford Castle 8-March 2012

White-letter Hairstreak
Satyrium w-album
Photo © Tony Moore

Black Hairstreak - ovum - Thatcham - 12-Mar-10 (2) {REARED}

Black Hairstreak
Satyrium pruni
Photo © Pete Eeles

Small Copper - ovum - Stockbridge Down - Unknown Date (2) [Tim Norriss]

Small Copper
Lycaena phlaeas
Photo © Tim Norriss

Large Copper - ovum - Thatcham - 17-Jul-12 (1) [REARED]

Large Copper
Lycaena dispar
Photo © Pete Eeles

Long-Tailed Blue - ovum - Portugal - 10-Aug-11 (2)

Long-tailed Blue
Lampides boeticus
Photo © Pete Eeles

Small Blue - ovum - Solalex, Gryon, Switzerland - 09-Jul-11

Small Blue
Cupido minimus
Photo © Pete Eeles

Short-tailed Blue
Everes argiades

Silver-Studded Blue - ovum - Unknown location - May-05 (2) [Reg Fry]

Silver-studded Blue
Plebejus argus
Photo © Reg Fry

Brown Argus - ovum - Broughton Down - 03-Sep-89 [Tim Norriss]

Brown Argus
Aricia agestis
Photo © Tim Norriss

Northern Brown Argus ovum - Bishop Middleham Quarry, Co Durham 2-July-2011

Northern Brown Argus
Aricia artaxerxes
Photo © Tony Moore

Common Blue Egg side view (laid on Rest Harrow) - Collard Down 2-June-2011 (Image taken 8-June-2011)

Common Blue
Polyommatus icarus
Photo © jamesweightman

Chalkhill Blue - ovum - Thatcham - 26-Mar-11 (2) {REARED}

Chalkhill Blue
Lysandra coridon
Photo © Pete Eeles

Adonis Blue - ovum - Godlingstone Hill - 90 [Tim Norriss]

Adonis Blue
Lysandra bellargus
Photo © Tim Norriss

Mazarine Blue - ovum - Simplon Pass, Simplon, Switzerland - 12-Jul-11-1

Mazarine Blue
Cyaniris semiargus
Photo © Pete Eeles

Holly Blue - ovum - Unknown location - 2004 [REARED] [Reg Fry]

Holly Blue
Celastrina argiolus
Photo © Reg Fry

Large Blue - ovum - Collard Hill - 20-Jun-12-2-2

Large Blue
Maculinea arion
Photo © Pete Eeles

Duke of Burgundy - ovum - Nr Stockbridge - 28-April-09 (1)

Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Photo © Pete Eeles

Family: Nymphalidae

The Nymphalidae family contains species more commonly known as "aristocrats", "fritillaries" or "browns". The vernacular names follow Emmet and Heath (1990). The scientific names follow Bradley (2000).