Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are fortunate in being home to 46 of the UK's 61 species of butterfly. Of these 43 are resident and 3 are regular visitors.
If you need help in identifying a butterfly click here.
If you are just seeking confirmation or more information on a species look in the table below.
The table includes all species on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight list. Further information on those currently resident or regular visitors can be found by clicking on the Common Name below. Please note that all photographs are copyright of the originators.
Common Name | Scientific Name | Status in Hants & IoW |
---|---|---|
Chequered Skipper | Carterocephalus palaemon | Extinct (Dubious C.19th?) |
Small Skipper | Thymelicus sylvestris | Resident |
Essex Skipper | Thymelicus lineola | Resident |
Lulworth Skipper | Thymelicus acteon | Extinct/Introduction |
Silver-spotted Skipper | Hesperia comma | Resident |
Large Skipper | Ochlodes sylvanus | Resident |
Dingy Skipper | Erynnis tages | Resident |
Grizzled Skipper | Pyrgus malvae | Resident |
Swallowtail | Papilio machaon | Rare immigrant |
Scarce Swallowtail | Iphiclides podalirius | Rare immigrant/Escape |
Wood White | Leptidea sinapis | Extinct |
Pale Clouded Yellow | Colias hyale | Rare immigrant |
Berger's Clouded Yellow | Colias alfacariensis | Rare immigrant |
Clouded Yellow | Colias croceus | Immigrant/becoming established? |
Brimstone | Gonepteryx rhamni | Resident |
Cleopatra | Gonepteryx cleopatra | Rare immigrant (Dubious c. 19th century) |
Black-veined White | Aporia crataegi | Extinct/Introduction |
Large White | Pieris brassicae | Resident |
Small White | Pieris rapae | Resident |
Green-veined White | Pieris napi | Resident |
Bath White | Pontia daplidice | Rare immigrant |
Orange-tip | Anthocharis cardamines | Resident |
Green Hairstreak | Callophrys rubi | Resident |
Brown Hairstreak | Thecla betulae | Resident |
Purple Hairstreak | Neozephyrus quercus | Resident |
White-letter Hairstreak | Satyrium w-album | Resident |
Black Hairstreak | Satyrium pruni | Introduction |
Small Copper | Lycaena phlaeas | Resident |
Large Copper | Lycaena dispar | Introduction |
Long-tailed Blue | Lampides boeticus | Rare immigrant, possibly becoming established (recorded on transect in 2022) |
Small Blue | Cupido minimus | Resident |
Short-tailed Blue | Everes argiades | Rare immigrant |
Silver-studded Blue | Plebeius argus | Resident |
Brown Argus | Plebeius agestis | Resident |
Common Blue | Polyommatus icarus | Resident |
Chalkhill Blue | Polyommatus coridon | Resident |
Adonis Blue | Polyommatus bellargus | Resident |
Mazarine Blue | Cyaniris semiargus | Extinct |
Green-underside Blue | Glaucopsyche alexis | Rare immigrant (Unconfirmed) |
Holly Blue | Celastrina argiolus | Resident |
Large Blue | Maculinea arion | Extinct |
Duke of Burgundy | Hamearis lucina | Resident |
White Admiral | Limenitis camilla | Resident |
Purple Emperor | Apatura iris | Resident |
Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | Immigrant/Becoming established? |
Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | Immigrant |
American Painted Lady | Vanessa virginiensis | Rare immigrant |
Small Tortoiseshell | Aglais urticae | Resident |
Large Tortoiseshell | Nymphalis polychloros | Extinct Resident/Becoming re-established |
Camberwell Beauty | Nymphalis antiopa | Rare immigrant |
Peacock | Inachis io | Resident |
Comma | Polygonia c-abum | Resident |
Map | Araschnia levana | Introduction/Escape |
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Boloria selene | Resident |
Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Boloria euphrosyne | Resident |
Queen of Spain Fritillary | Issoria lathonia | Rare immigrant |
Niobe Fritillary | Argynnis niobe | Introduction/Escape |
High Brown Fritillary | Argynnis adippe | Extinct |
Dark Green Fritillary | Argynnis aglaja | Resident |
Silver-washed Fritillary | Argynnis paphia | Resident |
Cardinal fritillary | Argynnis pandora | Introduction/Escape |
Marsh Fritillary | Euphydryas aurinia | Resident |
Glanville Fritillary | Melitaea cinxia | Resident |
Heath Fritillary | Mellicta athalia | Extinct Resident?/Introduction |
Speckled Wood | Pararge aegeria | Resident |
Wall | Lasiommata megera | Resident |
Marbled White | Melanargia galathea | Resident |
Grayling | Hipparchia semele | Resident |
Gatekeeper | Pyronia tithonus | Resident |
Meadow Brown | Maniola jurtina | Resident |
Small Heath | Coenonympha pamphilus | Resident |
Ringlet | Aphantopus hyperantus | Resident |
Monarch | Danaus plexippus | Rare immigrant |
Geranium Bronze | Cacyreus marshalli | Accidental introduction, with a handful of records across the two counties between 1999 and 2020 |
Further details of these butterflies can be found on the UK Butterflies website.