Butterfly species are divided into the following 'families'. Pictures of each species and links to full profiles are shown below, or use the A-Z list.

Skippers

Two brown and cream butterflies joined and facing away from each other

Dingy Skipper

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Essex Skipper

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Brown butterfly with white chequered marking in the undergrowth

Grizzled Skipper

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Orange and brown butterfly with open wings on a leaf

Large Skipper

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Small orangey-brown butterfly on a dandelion-like flower

Lulworth Skipper

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Side view of mid brown butterfly with prominent white marks

Silver-spotted Skipper

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Small orange butterfly on a grass seedhead

Small Skipper

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Whites

Bright Yellow butterfly, side view, with points to its wings

Brimstone

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Yellow butterfly with some black marks and one white spot; the black on the top of the upperside is visible through the wing.

Clouded Yellow

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One butterfly with white wings open. The other butterfly is at right angles with underwing showing, which is yellowish with grey veins

Green-veined White

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Whtie butterfly with black tips to wings on a bright pink flower

Large White

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Butterfly iwth bright orange tips to its wings, and a mottled green pattern underneath

Orange Tip

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Side-on view if white butterfly with cream underwings and a black spot visible onthe upper wing.

Small White

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White butterfly, with faint grey markings; side view.

Wood White

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Coppers and Hairstreaks

Butterfly on a leaf showing orange underside with darker, white-edged, streak and some of the brown and orange upperwing

Brown Hairstreak

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A green butterfly with a small line of white streaks on the underside of its hindwing

Green Hairstreak

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Dark butterfly with bright purple patches on its forewings

Purple Hairstreak

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Orange butterfly with a lot of dark spots and darker hind wings.

Small Copper

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Side view of a butterfly with brown underwings which have a zig-zag white line and orange markings on the edge.

White-letter Hairstreak

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Blues

A brown and a blue butterfly, both with open wings, on a pink flower

Adonis Blue

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Dark brown butterfly with white fringe and a series of orange spots within the fringe

Brown Argus

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A brown and a pale blue butterfly joined together in mating

Chalkhill Blue

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Two butterflies on a seedhead, one showing blue upperwings and the other the patterned underwing

Common Blue

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Side view of pale blue butterfly with random small black spots

Holly Blue

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Two butterflies on a grass stalk. Blue one with wings open.

Silver-studded Blue

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Two very small butterflies on a leaf, one with wings open and one with wings shut; both look greyish in colour

Small Blue

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Vanessids

Orange butterfly with dark markings and ragged edge to wings

Comma

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Orange butterfly with black markings perched on a branch

Large Tortoiseshell

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Butterfly with open wings: mainly orange with black and white and tiny specks of blue

Painted Lady

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Two eye-catching butterflies on stone

Peacock

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Large butterfly with mainly brown wings, thoug some purple, and white marks

Purple Emperor

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Black butterfly with striking red and white markings, clinging to a narrow tree trunk

Red Admiral

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One butterfly with open wings and one with closed wings, showing the huge difference between them

Small Tortoiseshell

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Large dark brown butterfly with white markings

White Admiral

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Fritillaries and Metalmarks

Side view of roange and green butterfly with white makings on hindwing and dark markings on forewing

Dark Green Fritillary

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Samll butterfly with lots of brown markings on a pale orange background

Duke of Burgundy

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Butterfly with orange background and yellow and brown lines and marks

Marsh Fritillary

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Two mainly orange butterflies on a bluebell

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

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view of two Silver-washed Fritillariesnectaring on bramble flowers

Silver-washed Fritillary

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Orange butterfly with a lot of brown markings and some white, on a bramble flower

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

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Browns

Butterfly with brown edges to its wings, and orange inside areas with dark slashes and eyespots on the forewwings.

Gatekeeper

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Brown butterfly seen from the side; hind upperwing in shades of brown with glimpse of eyespot on upperwing

Grayling

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Butterfly with striking white and black markings

Marbled White

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Side view of a butterfly with plainish hindwings and orange forewing with a black eyespot within which is one white dot

Meadow Brown

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Side view of dark brown butterfly with spots formed of yellow rings filled iwth black, then a white spot in the centre.

Ringlet

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Two brown and orange butterflies on a purple flower

Small Heath

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Dark brown butterfly with cream spots on a fern

Speckled Wood

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Orange butterfly with a lot of mid brown lines and marks, plus black eyespots with small white dots in centre

Wall Brown

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Species reported flying within the last 7 days are flagged ACTIVE

Notes

The pages in this section only cover the butterflies that breed in Dorset. Hence we include the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow because, although they are migrants, they usually give rise to one new brood after they have arrived.

There are some other, very occasional, migrants, which are not able to breed here, but these are not included to help avoid identification problems.

The flight times of the adult butterflies given are specific to Dorset, elsewhere in the country they may be later.