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The Speckled Wood is a common butterfly and familiar to many observers, especially in woodland where, as its name suggests, it is most often found. The appearance of this butterfly changes from north to south, forming a "cline", where individuals in the north are dark brown with white spots, with those in more southerly locations being dark brown with orange spots. This has given rise to a number of named subspecies. Subspecies: tircis This subspecies occurs through the range of this species, with the exception of Scotland and the Isles of Scilly. Subspecies: oblita This subspecies represents the population found in Scotland. This subspecies is larger that the tircis subspecies, is darker and has paler white patches on the upperside. Subspecies: insula This subspecies occurs on the Isles of Scilly. It differs from the tircis subspecies by having larger and more orange-coloured pale patches on the upperside.
This butterfly is found in self-contained colonies throughout the British Isles, but is absent in both the south and extreme north of Scotland. However, as this species expands its range, it is anticipated that it will fill the remaining gaps in its distribution.
This species is unique among the butterflies of the British Isles in that it can overwinter in 2 stages, as both a larva and pupa. As a result, there is a mixed emergence with adult butterflies on the wing from April through to September, with a few adults being seen as early as March or as late as October, especially at southern sites. There are 2 or 3 generations, depending on location and weather conditions and adults of later generations are generally darker than those emerging earlier in the year. Subspecies: tircis Subspecies: oblita Subspecies: insula
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 which includes gardens and hedgerows.
The primary larval foodplants are Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), Common Couch (Elytrigia repens), False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) and Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus).
Adults feed primarily on Honeydew / Sap. Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), Cuckooflower (Cardamines pratensis), Dandelion (Taraxacum agg.), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) are also used.
This butterfly is often seen in more-sheltered conditions than other species and is often the only species seen in dappled shade, or in overcast conditions. The male is territorial and will inhabit a particular clearing or hedgerow, where he will rest on a prominent sunlit perch waiting for a passing female. Other males are soon seen off before the defending male returns to a favourite perch. If no suitable territory can be found, or when there is a large number of males, the male will patrol in search of a mate instead. When a male encounters a receptive female, which has a more laboured flight than the male, she will fall to the ground or a nearby leaf where, after a brief courtship, the pair mate. Both sexes feed from honeydew, but also take nectar from a variety of plants when honeydew is scarce, such as Ragwort. Subspecies: tircis
Subspecies: oblita Subspecies: insula
Description to be completed
The spherical eggs are very light green in colour are laid singly, sometimes in pairs, on the underside of a leaf of the foodplant. It is believed that temperature is a major factor when a female chooses a plant on which to lay. In spring and autumn eggs are laid on plants in more-open positions than those laid in the summer, when more-shaded plants are used. Eggs hatch after 1 to 3 weeks, depending on temperature.
The young larva sits on the underside of the leaf feeding, both day and night, from the leaf edge toward the midrib. Larger larvae will move from plant to plant to feed and, as winter approaches, will rest at the base of the plant. Depending on the temperature and amount of daylight, some larvae will reach pupation, this species being the only butterfly in the British Isles that passes the winter in 2 different stages - as larva and pupa, although it is believed that only 3rd instar larvae are able to successfully overwinter. This stage can be passed in as little as 25 days when the temperature is high. There are 3 or 4 moults in total.
The pupa is formed head down from a grass stem or nearby leaf litter, attached by the cremaster. This stage can be as short as 10 days for those pupae that go on to produce adults in the same year.
No similar species found.
Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.
This is one of our few species that is doing well, with a sustained expansion to its range. It is believed that this butterfly has benefited from a reduction in coppicing, resulting in shadier woodland that this butterfly favours. As such, it is not a species of conservation concern.
From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).
The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.
The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:
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![Speckled Wood 2 [Clive Burrows]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/6dca139faca49c102e88dee58b3bf703.jpg "Speckled Wood 2 [Clive Burrows]")
![Speckled Wood - imago - St Marys, Isles of Scilly - Unknown date [Adrian Riley]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/7ece3ad121f269c7d9f49bf024f4bf48.jpg "Speckled Wood - imago - St Marys, Isles of Scilly - Unknown date [Adrian Riley]")
![Speckled Wood - imago - St. Martins, Scilly - 08-Jul-05 [Simon Green]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/ac228aa61b2cb57a6b2e8efb225aa1a9.jpg "Speckled Wood - imago - St. Martins, Scilly - 08-Jul-05 [Simon Green]")
![Speckled Wood - aberration - Wiltshire - 2007 [Terry Dabner]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/8c71b133a56a38b96684a5df78bc7af7.jpg "Speckled Wood - aberration - Wiltshire - 2007 [Terry Dabner]")
![Speckled Wood - imago - Quarrylands, nr Taunton, Somerset - 15-Sep-08 [Mark Fletcher]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/5f2a9ed5b2f129c1560b56fb5d14374a.jpg "Speckled Wood - imago - Quarrylands, nr Taunton, Somerset - 15-Sep-08 [Mark Fletcher]")
![Speckled Wood - ovum - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/fd35c093eab6a9727adc6c4300a2cf72.jpg "Speckled Wood - ovum - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]")
![Speckled Wood - larva - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 (3) [REARED]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/8ea75c41bffd6d372efa2af470291e80.jpg "Speckled Wood - larva - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 (3) [REARED]")
![Speckled Wood - larva - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 [REARED]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/0f18c99d81047cdbbd0e33a946ab6076.jpg "Speckled Wood - larva - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 [REARED]")
![Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 26-Apr-06 (2) [REARED]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/5bc2e8a05b88130a511f6ed172fb95ee.jpg "Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 26-Apr-06 (2) [REARED]")
![Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 (2) [REARED]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/2a8bdbb7e3c96ccd8887ee5fbd72c85f.jpg "Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 (2) [REARED]")
![Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 [REARED]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/f8bfe96e1822d98ea46a6994c5fe28b0.jpg "Speckled Wood - pupa - Thatcham - 27-Oct-05 [REARED]")
