Identification Guide to Dorset's Butterflies
| SIZE | COLOUR | POSSIBLE SPECIES | DIAGNOSTIC |
| LARGE | White | Large White | Black wing tips |
| Brimstone (female) | Whitish green | ||
| Yellow | Brimstone (male) | Yellow | |
| Multi-coloured | Painted Lady | ||
| Brown, lattice pattern | Silver-washed Fritillary | Underside hindwing silver-washed | |
| Dark Green Fritillary | Underside hindwing pearl spots | ||
| Brown, no lattice | Grayling | Sits on the ground, underside hindwing grey | |
| Dark | Peacock | Large eyespots | |
| Red Admiral | Red and white bar | ||
| White Admiral | White bar only | ||
| MEDIUM | White | Small White | Underside hindwing white/creamy |
| Green-veined White | Underside hindwing green-veined | ||
| Wood White | Rounded wing tips | ||
| Orange Tip (female) | Underside hindwing mottled green | ||
| White/orange | Orange Tip (male) | Underside hindwing mottled green | |
| Yellow | Clouded Yellow | Very fast flier | |
| White/brown | Marbled White | Black and white pattern | |
| Light brown, lattice pattern | Comma | Ragged wing edge | |
| Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Upperside lattice pattern, underside hindwing pearl spots (wood) | ||
| Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Upperside lattice pattern, underside hindwing pearl/white (wood) | ||
| Marsh Fritillary | Upperside lattice pattern, some yellow/orange | ||
| Wall | Uppersided lattice pattern (downland) | ||
| Light brown, no lattice | Gatekeeper | Frequent hedgerows | |
| Dark brown | Speckled Wood | Upperside cream spots | |
| Meadow Brown | Upperside brown/orange patches | ||
| Ringlet | Dark brown, underside hindwing ringlets | ||
| Dark, brightly coloured | Small Tortoiseshell | Upperside multicoloured | |
| SMALL | Milky blue | Chalkhill Blue (male) | Chalk downs |
| Bright blue | Common Blue | Upperside white fringe | |
| Adonis Blue (male) | Black veins in white fringe | ||
| Silver-studded Blue (male) | Heathland/Portland | ||
| Holly Blue | Hedgerows | ||
| Light/dark blue | Purple Hairstreak | Mostly in treetops | |
| Light Brown | Small Copper | Upperside black spotted | |
| Small Heath | Never see the upperside | ||
| Dark brown | Brown Argus | Upperside no blue | |
| Female Blues | Upperside blue suffusion | ||
| VERY SMALL | Dusky blue | Small Blue | |
| VERY SMALL AND MOTH-LIKE | Ginger brown | Small Skipper | Upperside plain |
| Large Skipper | Upperside dark pattern | ||
| Silver-spotted Skipper | Underside hindwing silver spots | ||
| Lulworth Skipper | Upperside forewing 'D' mark | ||
| Brown, lattice pattern | Duke of Burgundy | Underside hindwing pearl marks | |
| Dusky brown | Dingy Skipper | ||
| Speckled black | Grizzled Skipper |