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Speckled Wood

Pararge aegeria

2 photos

1 photographer

·Common · 1 pts

Dappled woodland butterfly; territorial in sunspots.

2 community photos of Speckled Wood on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/500ss shutter, 190mm.

Species Profile

Green List; common and widespread with no conservation concerns in the UK

Lifespan: 2–6 weeks as an adult butterfly; larvae develop over several months depending on temperature and generation
Size & Weight: Wingspan 32–38 mm
Habitat: Shaded woodland edges, clearings, glades, and dappled deciduous or mixed woodland with grassy understory.
UK Distribution: Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from far northern Scotland and Ireland. Resident year-round in southern Britain; partial migrant in central and northern regions.
Diet: Adults feed on honeydew, rotting fruit, and occasionally tree sap; caterpillars feed on various grass species, particularly wood melick and false brome.
Predators: Small birds, spiders, and robber flies; parasitic wasps and flies target caterpillars and pupae.
Mating Season: April to October (multiple generations); peak activity May to September
Breeding: Two to three broods per year in the south; eggs laid singly on grass stems hatch in 7–10 days; caterpillars take 3–6 weeks to develop depending on temperature.
Behaviour: Males are highly territorial, perching on low vegetation or tree trunks and darting out to intercept passing insects. They favour sunny patches within woodland shade. Adults spend much time basking with wings partially open on the ground or low vegetation.

Did You Know?

•The Speckled Wood is one of the few British butterflies that has expanded its range northwards over the past 40 years, likely due to climate warming.
•Males engage in 'hill-topping' behaviour, spiralling upwards when they encounter rival males in a contest of aerial dominance.
•The butterfly has two distinct colour forms (morph) in the UK: the lighter 'aegeria' form and the darker 'tircis' form, with regional and seasonal variation.
•Unlike most British butterflies, Speckled Woods can overwinter as either caterpillars or pupae, allowing survival through cold winters.
•The species has been continuously resident in the UK since at least the 18th century and appears in historical records and artwork from medieval times.

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Shutter

1/500ss

ISO Range

400–3200

Aperture

f/f/11

Focal Length

190mm

🦋 Speckled Wood

Butterfly

🦋 Speckled Wood

Butterfly