Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
The Speckled Wood is a familiar and common butterfly, found throughout much of Europe. It is characterized by a dark upperwing surface, with large yellowish spots around the wing margin. This is probably to entice predators like birds to aim for the wing margin rather than the body.
Habitat
As its names suggests, this butterfly is primarily found in woodland, but can be found anywhere there is sufficient scrub to provide the shaded conditions that this butterfly favours, including gardens and hedgerows.
Behaviour
This butterfly is often seen in more-sheltered conditions than other species and is often the only species seen in shady conditions. Like many butterflies the male is territorial and intercepts females as they fly through its patch. When a male encounters a receptive female, they will fall to the ground and mate.
Feeding
Adults feed from honeydew, but also take nectar from a variety of plants when honeydew is scarce, such as Ragwort. Caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses such as Cock's-foot, Common Couch, False Brome and Yorkshire-fog.
Life cycle
Eggs are laid in spring and autumn, on the underside of a leaf of the foodplant. On emerging from their eggs after approximately 25 days the caterpillars feed on the base of the foodplant. Once fully grown the larvae wander off to pupate before emerging as adults as little as 10 days later.