Different species of butterfly have different strategies for surviving the winter, so we have listed how each species found in Dorset spends the chillier months.

Overwinter as adults:

• Brimstone
• Small Tortoiseshell
• Peacock
• Comma

Overwinter as caterpillars:

• Small Skipper
• Lulworth Skipper
• Large Skipper
• Dingy Skipper
• Small Copper
• Small Blue
• Brown Argus
• Common Blue
• Adonis Blue
• White Admiral
• Purple Emperor
• Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
• Dark Green Fritillary
• Silver-washed Fritillary
• Marsh Fritillary
• Wall
• Marbled White
• Grayling
• Gatekeeper
• Meadow Brown
• Ringlet
• Small Heath
• Speckled Wood: caterpillar or chrysalis

Overwinter as chrysalises:

• Grizzled Skipper
• Wood White
• Large White
• Small White
• Green-veined White
• Orange Tip
• Green Hairstreak
• Holly Blue
• Duke of Burgundy

Overwinter as eggs:

• Essex Skipper
• Silver-spotted Skipper
• Brown Hairstreak
• Purple Hairstreak
• White-letter Hairstreak
• Silver-studded Blue
• Chalkhill Blue

Non-natives:

• Painted Lady: not known to breed over winter in the UK.
• Red Admiral: not generally native, but a few may overwinter as adults
• Clouded Yellow: not generally native, though a few overwinter on Bournemouth’s cliffs in the chrysalis stage.