You can meet speckled wood butterflies from now until October in the dappled shade of a woodland clearing or along leafy lanes.
Photo: Alan Watts
They feed on aphid honeydew up high in the tree canopy rather than flowers but the males often sunbathe on a leaf waiting to drive off rival males in search of a female. The two males make an entertaining aerial show, spiralling up in the air trying to intimidate each other.
Eggs are laid on several species of grass.
Speckled Wood butterflies have been badly affected by unusual weather conditions this year, so if you see one rejoice.
RECOMMENDED !!!
A SHORT 15 MINUTE PROGRAMME ON RADIO 4, 'METAMORPHOSIS: HOW INSECTS TRANSFORMED OUR WORLD'
9.30 AM ON THURSDAY 29TH JULY
AVAILABLE ON BBC SOUNDS
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