Annual overview of butterflies reported to the Dorset website*
77,847 butterflies of 49 species reported to the website this year.
Number of species records by date seen (scroll right for key).
TIP Click chart segments to see numbers reported.
Total records by species.
Earliest dates on which adult butterflies were reported to the website.
| Species | Date |
|---|---|
| Adonis Blue | 08 May |
| Brimstone | 14 Feb |
| Brown Argus | 20 Apr |
| Brown Hairstreak | 20 Jul |
| Chalkhill Blue | 14 Jul |
| Clouded Yellow | 24 Feb |
| Comma | 14 Feb |
| Common Blue | 29 Apr |
| Dark Green Fritillary | 14 Jun |
| Dingy Skipper | 19 Apr |
| Duke of Burgundy | 04 May |
| Essex Skipper | 14 Jun |
| Gatekeeper | 28 Jun |
| Glanville Fritillary | 01 Jun |
| Grayling | 27 Jun |
| Green Hairstreak | 15 Apr |
| Green-veined White | 24 Mar |
| Grizzled Skipper | 19 Apr |
| Holly Blue | 12 Feb |
| Large Skipper | 26 May |
| Large Tortoiseshell | 24 Feb |
| Large White | 24 Mar |
| Long-tailed Blue | 03 Aug |
| Lulworth Skipper | 11 May |
| Marbled White | 05 Jun |
| Marsh Fritillary | 06 May |
| Meadow Brown | 30 May |
| Orange Tip | 24 Mar |
| Painted Lady | 09 Jan |
| Peacock | 01 Jan |
| Purple Emperor | 10 Jul |
| Purple Hairstreak | 20 Jun |
| Red Admiral | 01 Jan |
| Ringlet | 18 Jun |
| Silver-spotted Skipper | 28 Jul |
| Silver-studded Blue | 01 Jun |
| Silver-washed Fritillary | 26 Jun |
| Small Blue | 04 May |
| Small Copper | 26 Mar |
| Small Heath | 19 Apr |
| Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary | 09 Jun |
| Small Skipper | 01 Jun |
| Small Tortoiseshell | 13 Jan |
| Small White | 24 Mar |
| Speckled Wood | 24 Mar |
| Swallowtail | 05 Aug |
| Wall Brown | 13 Apr |
| White Admiral | 26 Jun |
| White-letter Hairstreak | 24 Jun |
Duration between earliest and latest reported sightings of adult butterflies.
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*Please note: The charts shown on this page are drawn only from casual sightings submitted to this website. They are therefore not statistically significant, but do serve as an indication of what’s going on in the Dorset butterfly world. The records from this website will be added to a lot more data collected throughout the year, and used to compile the five-yearly Butterfly Atlases for Dorset and the UK. These are vitally important because they show the location of species and, over time, measure distribution changes and the possible effects of climate change. This gives us the information we need to help various species in appropriate ways.
