Suffolk's Butterflies

Butterfly Conservation is dedicated to conserving both butterflies and moths. For information about the status of moths in Suffolk, please visit the Suffolk Moths website.

Click here to visit the Suffolk Moths website

30 species of butterfly occur regularly in Suffolk, together with one occasionally numerous migrant. The following table summarises their status in Suffolk:

Species Name	Scientific Name	UK BAP* Status	Suffolk Status
Small Skipper	Thymelicus sylvestris	Not listed	Common Resident
Essex Skipper	Thymelicus lineola	Not listed	Common Resident
Large Skipper	Ochlodes venata	Not listed	Common resident
Dingy Skipper	Erynnis tages	Priority Species	Very rare resident
Swallowtail	Papilio machaon	Not listed	Occasional visitor or migrant, from Norfolk or the continent
Clouded Yellow	Colias croceus	Not listed	Rare migrant
Brimstone	Gonepteryx rhamni	Not listed	Common resident, particularly in west Suffolk
Large White	Pieris brassicae	Not listed	Very Common resident
Small White	Pieris rapae	Not listed	Very Common resident
Green-veined White	Pieris napi	Not listed	Very Common resident
Orange Tip	Anthocharis cardamines	Not listed	Very common resident
Green Hairstreak	Callophrys rubi	Not listed	Local resident, mainly in the Sandlings and the Brecks
Purple Hairstreak	Quercusia quercus	Not listed	Resident
White-letter Hairstreak	Strymonidia w-album	Priority Species	Scarce resident, Suffolk BAP species
Small Copper	Lycaena phlaeas	Not listed	Resident, most numerous in the Sandlings and Brecks
Silver-studded Blue	Plebejus argus	Priority Species	Rare resident confined to the Sandlings, Suffolk BAP species
Brown Argus	Aricia agestis	Not listed	Common resident
Common Blue	Polyommatus icarus	Not listed	Common resident
Holly Blue	Celastrina argiolus	Not listed	Common resident
Purple Emperor	Apatura iris	Not listed	An introduction; one site near Theberton
White Admiral	Limenitis camilla	Priority species	Scarce resident, Suffolk BAP species
Red Admiral	Vanessa atalanta	Not listed	Common resident and migrant
Painted Lady	Vanessa cardui	Not listed	Common mgrant
Small Tortoiseshell	Aglais urticae	Not listed	Common resident and migrant
Peacock	Inachis io	Not listed	Common resident
Comma	Polygonia c-album	Not listed	Resident
Silver-washed Fritillary	Argynnis paphia	Not listed	A new arrival in Suffolk, resident since 2009
Speckled Wood	Pararge aegeria	Not listed	Increasingly common resident
Wall Brown	Lasiommata megera	Study species	Resident in severe decline, now restricted to coastal sites
Grayling	Hipparchia semele	Priority species	Resident,  confined to the Sandlings and Brecks, Suffolk BAP species
Gatekeeper	Pyronia tithonus	Not listed	Common resident
Meadow Brown	Maniola jurtina	Not listed	Common resident
Ringlet	Aphantopus hyperantus	Not listed	Common resident
Small Heath	Coenonympha pamphilus	Study species	Declining resident, especially away from the Sandlings and Brecks
Species Name	Scientific Name	UK BAP Status	Suffolk Status

BAP = Biodiversity Action Plan.

Click here for more information about the National BAP

Click here for information about the Suffolk BAP