Garden Entomology - Royal Entomological Society

Order : Lepidoptera
BUTTERFLIES
Small white
Pieris (Artogeia) rapae
The small white is found in gardens all
over the UK, where its caterpillars feed on
the leaves of brassicas (the cabbage
family). In contrast to the caterpillars of the
large white, those of the small white are
solitary and hard to locate. Adult large and
small whites do look similar, although the
large whites are up to half as large again as
their smaller namesake. Small whites have
more angular wings and paler markings,
making identification straightforward.
Large skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
This butterfly is found throughout
England, and its range is expanding
northwards. The adults hold their upper
and lower wings at oblique angles, making
them easy to identify. Males have a dark
line on their fore-wings, which marks the
presence of scent glands. The caterpillars
have a specialised comb-like organ which
is used to flick away droppings; this frass
acts as an attractant to parasitic wasps,
and this adaptation may reduce the
likelihood of attack.
SPECIES PROFILE
SPECIES PROFILE
SPECIES PROFILE
Red admiral
Vanessa atalanta
This is a familiar visitor to the garden, especially
later in the summer and into autumn when the
adults feed on nectar from plants such as
Buddleia, or on the fermenting juice of windfall
apples. Few red admirals overwinter in the UK,
and our population relies upon the arrival of
migrants from the continent in early summer.
These arrivals lay their eggs on nettles. The
caterpillars fold the nettle leaves and glue the
edges together with silk, protecting them from
foraging predators and parasitoids.