Butterflies in Cornwall
Butterflies are important for several reasons. They are:
- Attractive – key elements in the beauty of our countryside
- Useful indicators of the quality of our environment
- Quick to respond to changes in habitat management
- Useful indicators of changing climate patterns.
Land management for butterflies often has added benefits in creating high quality habitats for plants, birds and other insects.
Marsh Fritillary, Breney Common, 7th June 2003.
Photograph by Lee Slaughter
Did you know?
Cornwall is special for butterflies. It has 42 species, made up of 37 residents, 3 regular migrants (amongst others) and 3 introduced butterflies.
Cornish Residents
Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Wood White, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Brown Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Small Copper, Silver-studded Blue, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Heath Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Marbled White, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath.
Regular migrants
Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Red Admiral (amongst others).
Introduced/re-introduced
Essex Skipper, White Admiral, Large Blue.
Extinct
Large Tortoiseshell.
Principal butterfly sites in Cornwall
At our 2009 AGM we were asked to provide general information for volunteers and friends who would like to join us on Conservation Days, transect walks and field trips. The details of these field trips maybe found, from time to time, in links and notices found on this website, particularly those of the BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers). We would like to say that these events are open to all, and are not restricted to members only.
To assist newcomers and casual visitors, especially those who join us for the summer holidays, we have compiled a map of our more common colony sites and the principal butterflies found there.
Compiled February 2009.
1) Welcombe & Marsland (Devon & Cornwall Wildlife Trusts) (SS2117)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Silver-washed Fritillary
Dark Green Fritillary
Marbled White
Purple Hairstreak
Ringlet
Dingy Skipper
Occasional Grizzled Skipper
2) Luckett (Greenscoombe Wood) (SX3972)
- Heath Fritillary
Marbled White
Ringlet
Small Copper
3) National Trust, Dannonchapel (SX0382)
- Large Blue
Grayling
Small Copper
Green Hairstreak
Occasional Silver-studded Blue
4) Tuckingmill & Lank area, Bodmin Moor (SX0977)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary,
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
& Marsh Fritillary amongst other common species
5) Bunny’s Hill, Bodmin (SX1167)
- Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered
Dark Green Fritillary
Silver-washed Fritillary.
6) Murrayton Monkey Sanctuary Coast Path (SX2854)
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Dingy Skipper & others
7) Rame Head & Penlee Point (SX4249)
- Marbled White
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Green Hairstreak
Clouded Yellow (most summers) & many more
8) Breney Common with Red Moor (SX0561)
- Marsh Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Heath
Silver-studded Blue
Green Hairstreak
Small Copper & other common species
9) Rock Dunes (SW9375)
- Marbled White
Green Hairstreak
Small Copper & other common species
10) Goss Moor (SW9360)
- Dingy Skipper
Grizzled Skipper
Marsh Fritillary
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered
Common Blue & Small Copper amongst other common species
11) Penhale Sands (Perranporth) (SW7757)
- Silver-studded Blue
Dark Green Fritillary
Brown Argus
Common Blue
Grizzled Skipper ( ab. taras)
Dingy Skipper
Small Copper
Small Heath
27 species in total found here
12) Hayle (Upton Towans) & Phillack (SW5740)
- Silver-studded Blue
Brown Argus
Dark Green Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary & other common species.
13) Cudden Point (SW5427)
- Silver-studded Blue
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (2nd brood).
14) Kynance Cove, The Lizard (SW6813)
- Dark Green Fritillary
Grayling
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Wall Brown
Small Copper & other common species
Clouded Yellow (most summers).
15) Porthgwarra (SW3721)
- Grayling
Dark Green Fritillary
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Wall Brown
Silver-studded Blue
Small Heath.
Although not an exhaustive list of sites or species, the main ones are included and will be updated occasionally. You would be unlucky not to find the species listed at these sites in season. Not included are the wide ranging species such as the Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock and Painted Lady and neither are rarities such as the Large Tortoiseshell, Monarch, Camberwell Beauty and High Brown Fritillary as well as other rare migrants.
Compiled February 2009 by Phil Boggis