Best time to see: mid May to mid Jun
Key facts
A butterfly of open woodlands that went extinct in Essex in 1968
Habitat: well-drained open woodlands with plenty of the main foodplant, dog violet
Still locally common in south-west England and Wales but declining everywhere
Recognition
Upperside is bright orange with black veins and spots; underside is a striking mosaic of orange and yellow
Males flit and glide around woodland rides and clearings; females are less active, fluttering round violets or feeding on nectar
Colonies move from one clearing to another as trees shade them out; wingspan around 4.5 cm
Lifecycle
Eggs laid singly on or near violets in early summer
Caterpillars, black with yellow bristles, hibernate among dead vegetation, basking openly the following spring
Caterpillars pupate in late spring, adults emerging from the chrysalis in May and June
© David Corke
© David Corke