Tag Archives: Lyme Regis

White butterfly with grey tips to its wings flying over stony ground

Wood White. Photo: Donald Simcock

White butterfly with a lot of grey markings, clinging to a dry stem

Wood White. Photo: Donald Simcock

Donald tells us of a magical butterfly day:-

Yesterday we had the day in Lyme Regis, firstly to walk through the Spittles area of landslips and marvel at the slipped trees still growing and the exuberance of greenery from ferns to mosses, and also two Wood White butterflies.

Secondly our day out for strolling, cream tea and evening meal was put on hold by the masses, 12, of Wood Whites flying very gently and slowly around us. Most of them were seen close up on the steps down from the car park to the prom/sea defence wall and some of them were very interested in our walking shoes and even landed on them.

Walking along the prom we came to an area of wild flowers and saw a few more “woodies” resting until the sun came out and suddenly they were flying.

We even saw the special courtship display, mentioned on the BC web page, where the couple fly together, land, face and touch each other. This must be the most romantic British butterfly

Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Photo: Tracy Whincup

Tracy spotted two Hummingbird Hawkmoths while she was looking for Wood white butterflies at Lyme Regis on 29/04/25.

Hopefully this summer we will see more of this beautiful moth in the UK if we have a better summer weather wise.

Two white butterflies with subtle grey markings on their underwings

Wood White. Photo: Rod Jenkins

Two white butterflies with subtle grey markings on their underwings

Wood White. Photo: Rod Jenkins

Rod reports:

Plenty of Wood Whites again today from the sea defences to the east of Lyme.  Please find attached a couple of representative photos.  On the mating pair it looks as if the female had not even finished pumping up her wings before attracting the attention of the male.

The Wood White is only found in this location in Dorset, and it is not common anywhere in the UK. It is being reported a bit earlier this year than last: the first record sent in was 27 April, while last year it was 8 May.

A white butterfly with light grey markings on a pink flower

Wood White. Photo: Donald Simcock

Two white butterflies with light grey markings on some green foliage

Wood White. Photo: Donald Simcock

Two photos from Donald both taken on 23/05/2024 and sent in telling us:

We have had a few days away camping at Uplyme and walking into Lyme Regis everyday.  We weren’t looking for butterflies and I hadn’t taken the right camera lens for them but we did see 6 Wood Whites. The first ones behind the sea defences in the flowery scrub on the East cliff. Then more up some steps that led to the car park and coast path. They are a dainty butterfly with a slow wing beat and very shy – as soon as I started watching them they stopped flying and headed for cover.  However, they weren’t easily spooked as I got closer and closer to photograph them.

A White butterfly with light grey markings

Wood White. Photo: Mike Kirby

Two White butterflies with light grey markings

Wood Whites. Photo: Mike Kirby

Mike sent in these two photos today, 21/05/2024 telling us:

Plenty of Wood Whites showing at Lyme Regis at present.  Their courtship display is amazing to watch. The male (on the left in my photo) will extend his proboscis and do a little swaying dance in front of the female. Males can be identified by the patch of white scales on the underside of the antenna.

A white butterfly with greyish markings on a green leaf

Wood White. Photo: John Woodruff

John sent in this photo telling us:

An early morning visit to Lyme Regis this morning, 28/05/2023 was rewarded with several Wood Whites on the wing before the sun became overpowering by mid morning. I was very pleased to have some really good encounters as this is the last resident Dorset butterfly left for me to see, making my long journey from Blandford worthwhile.

A white butterfly with greyish markings

Wood White. Photo: Mark Larcombe

Mark has just sent in this photo of a Wood White he saw in Lyme Regis earlier today, 17/05/2023.

The Wood White is our rarest resident white butterfly and this is the first photo of one sent in for our Dorset BC photo Gallery this year.

A yellow butterfly with some black markings on a purple flower

Clouded Yellow. Photo: Shona Refoy

Another photo from Shona’s trip to Lyme Regis on 21/07/2022 sent in telling us:

After leaving East Cliff at Lyme Regis, I went to the meadow part of The Spittles, where I was delighted to see my first Clouded Yellow of the year.  She was a beautiful female – the yellow spots in the black borders to her wings can be seen in the photo.  After nectaring on the Knapweed she was ovipositing, but was too quick for me to get a photo!

A white butterfly with greyish markings on a dark pink flower

Wood White. Photo: Shona Refoy

Two white butterflies with greyish markings on a brown leaf

Wood Whites. Photo: Shona Refoy

Two photos from Shona sent with the following comments about her recent encounter with Wood Whites:

I went to East Cliff at Lyme Regis on 21/07/202 hoping to see my first ever second brood Wood White males, which I did!

The first photo is of a male tucking into some Red Valerian, which clearly shows his abdomen.

The second photo is of a male (left) courting a female by waving his proboscis and antennae around her.  I saw this behaviour several times while I was there, but the females weren’t interested, so the butterflies went their separate ways.