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Grayling

Hipparchia semele

1 photo

1 photographer

·Common · 1 pts

Camouflaged brown butterfly of sandy heaths and dunes; snaps wings shut when perched.

1 community photo of Grayling on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/800ss shutter, 300mm.

Amber List (specialist grassland species with declining UK range and population).

Lifespan: 2–3 weeks as an adult butterfly
Size & Weight: wingspan 42–50 mm
Habitat: Dry, open grassland and heathland with sparse vegetation, particularly on south-facing slopes with bare ground and short turf.
UK Distribution: Southern England from Devon and Cornwall eastwards to Kent and Sussex, with scattered populations in the Midlands and Wales; resident, non-migratory, though local populations fluctuate significantly year to year.
Diet: Caterpillars feed on various grass species, particularly Tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum) and Red Fescue (Festuca rubra); adults drink from damp ground, rarely from flowers.
Predators: Small birds, spiders, parasitic wasps, and robber flies.
Mating Season: July to September
Breeding: Single brood per year; females lay eggs singly on or near foodplants in late summer; caterpillars overwinter and pupate in spring; eggs hatch after approximately 2–3 weeks.
Behaviour: Graylings are territorial and cryptic, spending much time resting on the ground with wings closed, relying on camouflage to avoid detection. Males perch on bare ground or rocks to watch for females, and both sexes bask with wings folded vertically. They are reluctant fliers and typically stay within small home ranges.

Did You Know?

•The Grayling has distinctive eyespots on its wings, which it can flash when threatened to startle predators.
•Unlike most butterflies, Graylings rarely visit flowers, instead obtaining nutrients and minerals from damp soil and animal droppings.
•The species has declined significantly in the UK over recent decades due to loss of suitable dry grassland habitat and intensification of agriculture.
•Graylings are highly sensitive to weather; cool, wet summers can cause population crashes as caterpillars struggle to develop.
•Populations in the UK are at the northern edge of the species' range, making them particularly vulnerable to climate and habitat changes.

Easily Confused With

Meadow Brown — Meadow Browns are larger with more prominent eyespots on darker brown wings, favour damper grassland, and have a different flight pattern; they also visit flowers readily.
Marbled White — Marbled Whites have distinctive black and white chequered wings, are larger, and occupy similar but slightly damper grassland; they visit flowers more often than Graylings.

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Shutter

1/800ss

ISO Range

400

Aperture

f/f/5.6

Focal Length

300mm

🦋 Grayling

Butterfly