Nymphalidae. 5000 species world wide, 14 species in U.K. In the adults the first pair of legs is not used for walking. All in the family are strikingly marked. Wingspan ranges from 36 - 78 mm.

Right, Polygonia c-album whose common name the comma comes from the white comma mark on the underside of its rear wing. The adult wingspan is 4.4 - 4.8 cm, and the males and females are the same except that the females usually have duller undersides to their wings. The adults fly in June/July and there is a second generation flying in August which hibernate in the autumn. When these emerge in the late spring they mate. The irregular wing outline and the pattern of the undersides make the adult resemble a dead leaf. It is widespread throughout Europe, but confined to the southern half of the UK. The adult lives mainly in meadows but visits gardens. Eggs are laid singly or in small groups on the upper surface of the leaves of the food plant in May and again in July/August. The eggs hatch after 2 - 3 weeks and feed singly in small webs for approximately 6 weeks. The caterpillar is black, spiny, with orange bands and a large white patch down the rear half of its back. This white patch makes it look rather like a bird dropping, so serves as camouflage. The larval food plants include hop and nettle. The caterpillars feed singly and can reach a length of 3.5 cm. Then they pupate suspended from the food plant. Adults emerge 2 - 3 weeks later.

Inachis io, the peacock butterfly,below and right. The peacock is in the Nymphalidae family. The olive-green eggs are laid on the underside of the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), the food plant, in May, and hatch about two weeks later. The caterpillars (see below) live together in a communal web until their final moult. They are black with small white dots and have long black spines on their back and sides. The final body length can reach 4.2 cm. It takes about one month from egg hatch to final moult. They pupate separately suspended from plant stems.

The adults emerge after around two weeks and feed. The adult males and females are alike, but the male is usually larger, the wingspan is 5.6 - 6.0 cm. Adult males have their front legs reduced to brushes (see the photograph below). The peacock hibernates as an adult, and has dark and dingy undersides to its wings (see above) camouflaging it as it hides in dark corners, often indoors in sheds and other cool buildings. If disturbed during hibernation it will flash its wings to reveal the eyespots, and make a rustling noise to frighten off predators. It emerges from hibernation in early spring and mates. Note the white tips to the antennae.

return to main Lepidoptera page

On the right Aglais urticae, the small tortoiseshell, another member of the Nymphalidae. The adults are fairly common from March - May and July - October. The caterpillar is black/brown and feeds in groups in silk webs on Urtica dioica, the stinging nettle. The adult hibernates over winter often in sheds and other cool buildings.

Tips on creating a butterfly garden - no matter how small the patch.

Left is a preserved specimen of the adult Danaus plexippus, the monarch butterfly, Nymphalidae. This butterfly is famous for its long-distance migrations, e.g. from Canada to Mexico. The caterpillars feed on milkweeds storing the poisons (cardiac glycosides) from the plant to make themselves unpalatable to predators. The cardiac glycosides, even in small doses in vertebrates, induce nausea and vomiting; and in larger doses, death. The adults also have the typical warning colouration of orange/black, as the poisons are still stored in their bodies. These poisons induce rapid vomiting, so that the predator can easily associate the unpleasant experience with the caterpillar/butterfly, and avoid them in future. It is found in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, and some even stray as far as western Europe. It overwinters as an adult in thick woods - often on Eucalyptus trees. The eggs (below)are laid on milkweeds. Its flight speed has been recorded as 2.8 metres per second. Compare this with other insects.

Danaus plixippus, Limenitis archippus, the viceroy butterfly, (below left), and a few other similar-looking butterflies are are often used as examples of Mullerian mimicry. All of the butterflies in the mimicry ring are distasteful and have similar warning colouration. This benefits not only members of the same species, but also members of other species in the mimicry ring, as the predator will need to try only on individual of any of the species to avoid all butterflies in the mimicry ring. Another member of this group is Danaus gilippus, the queen butterfly.

Limenitis archippus, Nymphalidae, the viceroy butterfly on the left. Ranges from Canada and Eastern US to North Mexico. It prefers shrubby areas near water. It mates in the afternoon and the female deposits her eggs singly, each on an undamaged leaf pf willow or poplar, on which the caterpillars feed. There can be three generations in a year.