Large Skipper Ochlodes venata Upperside paler yellow blotches within the orange, also noticeable on underside.
Male has jagged sex-brand on the upper forewings.
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris Upperside solid orange, oblique scent brand on male.
Identification Guide
Upperside similar to Small Skipper except scent brand on male is parallel to wing edge.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne Upperside, thicker black markings than Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.
Underside, one central pearl spot plus second closer to inner edge. Black spot in adjacent cell small.
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene Upperside, thinner black markings than Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Markings on leading edge of forewing resembles number 730.
Male bright orange, black streaks on the forewing.
White Admiral Limenitis camilla Dark chocolate brown upperside with distinctive white bands across all four wings.
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Underside, mottled, grey, brown and black, well camouflaged.
Underside, cryptic colouration with row of eye spots towards edge of hindwing.
Upperside brown with pale markings, rather moth like in appearance.
Upperside, shades of orange with black tips to forewings.
Upperside, black with white spots on all four wings.
Underside, distinctive veined markings, usually visible from upperside as well, paler in summer brood.
Large White Pieris brassicae Underside similar to Small White but generally more grey scaling.
Underside similar to upper pattern but lighter in tone with blue/grey patch on inner margin of hindwing.
Underside, tip of antennae glossy black (looks like antennae have been dipped into ink!).
Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Several white pearls on underside. Black spot in cell bolder.
Underside, both sexes, green with silver streaks.
Female, dusky-orange, black spots on forewing.
Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages
Underside, dull yellow dusted with grey scales.
Butterflies of the Wyre Forest
Underside, tip of antennae orange.
Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola
Small White Pieris rapae
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae Upperside orange with black spots and a margin of blue crescents on all four wings.
Upperside well marked, wide black tip to forewing extending further down wing edge than other whites.
Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines Upperside bright orange tip to wing (male only) with central black spot to forewing.
Underside mottled green hindwings very distinctive, generally visible from upperside.
Upperside, velvet black, with red diagonal stripe, white spots near wing tips.
Peacock Inachis io
Wood White Leptidea sinapis
Upperside, mainly maroon background with large peacock eyespots on all wings. Underside, very dark.
Underside, wide black inner band, narrower and paler outer band with dark margin.
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas Upperside, coppery orange forewings with black spots, brown hindwings with orange band along the margin.
Underside pale brown with small black dots and orange band on edge of wing.
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus Upperside male, pale blue with chequered fringes. Upperside female, similar ground colour to male but wide black borders to tips of forewings.
Comma Polygonia c-album Upperside orange with black markings, very scalloped edge to wing.
Underside mottled brown with distinctive white comma mark in centre of hindwing.
Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi Underside bright green, sometimes with a white dash crossing the hindwing.
Underside, silvery blue with tiny black spots on hindwing.
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus Upperside of the male is bright blue with clear fringes while the female is brown with varying amounts of blue scaling and orange chevron markings on edge of wings.
Brown Argus Aricia agestis Upperside similar to female Common Blue but never any trace of blue scaling. Central eyespot on forewing. Orange lunules on all four wings. Underside similar to Common Blue but arrangements of spots near leading edge of hindwing resemble colon punctuation mark.
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni Upperside of male bright buttercup yellow, pointed tip to forewing and hindwing, pale central spot in both wings.
White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina Upperside dark brown with splash of orange around single-pupilled eyespot, orange splash more extensive on the female.
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus Upperside, dark chocolate brown, male almost black, number of eyespots towards margin of both wings.
Underside, brown with white line crossing both wings, line on hindwing W-shaped, orange margin to hindwing, distinctive ‘tail’.
Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus Underside, silver grey with white line crossing both wings with dark pupilled orange eye spot near base of hindwing. Upperside black overshot with irridescent purple. Male has extensive purple colouration while female has a patch of purple on the upper forewings.
Clouded Yellow Colias croceus Underside deep yellowy orange, white marks ringed in red in centre of hindwing, black mark in centre of forewing.
Female similar to male but ground colour paler greenish white. Can be confused with Large White in flight.
Inner margin of underside mid brown paler towards wing edge with small black dots noticeable on some specimens.
Extra spot here distinguishes from Brown Argus. Underside male tends to be grey with orange chevron marks on edges of wings and scattering of black spots with white halos. The female underside tends to be brown with similar markings to the male.
Underside, oval-shaped wings compared to other whites, dusting of grey scales, white abdomen, white spot near tip of antenna on male.
Underside similar to upperside, eyespots on hindwing generally five in number.
Marbled White Melanargia galathea Upperside, very distinctive black and white chequerboard pattern.
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Upperside double-pupilled eyespot, smaller than Meadow Brown. Underside darker inner band on hindwing then paler towards wing edge, white spots within paler area.
Upperside male orange with prominent brown scent brand cutting across forewing, female simliar but lacks scent brand.
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria Upperside mid/dark brown with series of yellow/cream blotches and black eyespots with white pupils, one on forewing and normally three on the hindwing.
Underside mottled grey and brown, usually forewing eye spot can be seen from underside
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Underside orange on forewing, hindwing gives furry appearance, generally grey brown with paler rings towards the edge.
Underside has a similar pattern, hindwing markings black on male, brown on female.