Butterfly Habitats & Habits
British butterflies are closely tied to specific habitats and have unique habits and life cycles shaped by climate, food plants, and landscape. Here is a list of habitats with butterfly assemblages.
1. Grasslands – especially species-rich grasslands, are the richest butterfly habitats in the UK. They are home to Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Small Heath, Marbled White and Small Skipper butterflies. They lay eggs on grasses or legumes (e.g., Birds-foot Trefoil). They are most active between June–August and prefer sunny, sheltered areas with flowers.
2. Woodland & Woodland Edges In these habitats, butterflies favour sunlit glades, rides, and edges with diverse wild plants. The commonest butterflies are Speckled Wood (shady paths), Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak (oak canopy) and Comma. Males may patrol sunlit areas or perch to await females and many depend on nettles, brambles, violets, or tree species for larvae.
3. Hedgerows & Field Margins are often rich in nectar plants and larval food. The commonest butterflies are Gatekeeper, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock and Brimstone. Butterflies often bask or feed on flowers like bramble and knapweed.
These habitats are important for early and late-season nectar.
4. Heathland & Moorland These open landscapes with low-nutrient soils with a distinctive floral assemblage also host a distinctive assemblage of butterflies including: Grayling, Green Hairstreak, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-studded Blue. In this habitat plants are adapted to dry, acidic soils. Eggs are often laid on heathers, gorse, or grasses.
5. Wetlands, Marshes & Fens provide damp grassland and boggy ground with plants adapted to wetlands. A number of butterfly species thrive in such environments including Marsh Fritillary, Large Heath, Small Copper and Ringlet. Larvae feed on Devil’s-bit Scabious, sedge, or rushes.
6. Coastal Areas & Dunes These windswept dry habitats with specialist plants host species such as Wall Brown, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Blue and Common Blue. Caterpillars may feed on Kidney Vetch or Bird’s-foot Trefoil.
7. Urban Gardens & Parks Though artificial, they support many common species like Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Holly Blue and Large White. Butterflies feed on garden flowers, they often hibernate in sheds or attics. And some species (e.g., Holly Blue) breed on garden shrubs like holly or ivy.
British butterflies are closely tied to specific habitats and have unique habits and life cycles shaped by climate, food plants, and landscape. Here is a list of habitats with butterfly assemblages.
1. Grasslands – especially species-rich grasslands, are the richest butterfly habitats in the UK. They are home to Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Small Heath, Marbled White and Small Skipper butterflies. They lay eggs on grasses or legumes (e.g., Birds-foot Trefoil). They are most active between June–August and prefer sunny, sheltered areas with flowers.
2. Woodland & Woodland Edges In these habitats, butterflies favour sunlit glades, rides, and edges with diverse wild plants. The commonest butterflies are Speckled Wood (shady paths), Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak (oak canopy) and Comma. Males may patrol sunlit areas or perch to await females and many depend on nettles, brambles, violets, or tree species for larvae.
3. Hedgerows & Field Margins are often rich in nectar plants and larval food. The commonest butterflies are Gatekeeper, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock and Brimstone. Butterflies often bask or feed on flowers like bramble and knapweed.
These habitats are important for early and late-season nectar.
4. Heathland & Moorland These open landscapes with low-nutrient soils with a distinctive floral assemblage also host a distinctive assemblage of butterflies including: Grayling, Green Hairstreak, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-studded Blue. In this habitat plants are adapted to dry, acidic soils. Eggs are often laid on heathers, gorse, or grasses.
5. Wetlands, Marshes & Fens provide damp grassland and boggy ground with plants adapted to wetlands. A number of butterfly species thrive in such environments including Marsh Fritillary, Large Heath, Small Copper and Ringlet. Larvae feed on Devil’s-bit Scabious, sedge, or rushes.
6. Coastal Areas & Dunes These windswept dry habitats with specialist plants host species such as Wall Brown, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Blue and Common Blue. Caterpillars may feed on Kidney Vetch or Bird’s-foot Trefoil.
7. Urban Gardens & Parks Though artificial, they support many common species like Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Holly Blue and Large White. Butterflies feed on garden flowers, they often hibernate in sheds or attics. And some species (e.g., Holly Blue) breed on garden shrubs like holly or ivy.