Marsh Fritillary Butterfly and Devil’s-bit Scabious — A Cornish Early Summer Story Butterflies The Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) In early June, Marsh Fritillaries glide over Cornwall’s damp meadows. Their life depends on Devil’s-bit Scabious, choosing its lush leaves for eggs. Lightly grazed, flower-rich grasslands keep this delicate cycle alive, ensuring the butterfly returns each summer. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
Red Admirals & Ivy Blossom: An Early Autumn Partnership in Cornwall Butterflies Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) In Cornwall’s early autumn, Red Admirals crowd onto flowering Ivy, replenishing vital energy reserves before migration or winter sheltering. This well‑timed pairing between plant and butterfly is both a seasonal lifeline and a defining feature of the county’s September and October hedgerows. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
The Brown Argus Butterfly and Its Bond with Cornwall’s Coastal Rockrose Butterflies The Brown Argus butterfly (Aricia agestis) On sunny Cornish slopes in May, the Brown Argus flits over golden Rockrose. This small butterfly depends entirely on the plant for nectar and caterpillar food, thriving only where short-turf grasslands and coastal dunes remain open and flower-rich. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
The Gatekeeper of the Hedgerow: Cornwall’s Late Summer Bramble Sentinel Butterflies Gatekeeper butterfly (Pyronia tithonus) In August, Cornwall’s bramble-clad hedgerows host the Gatekeeper butterfly—a warm-orange sentinel feeding, courting, and egg-laying among sunny hedge gaps, a sign of hedges rich in life and summer’s lingering glow. By Editorial Team • 4 min read
Purple Hairstreak on Oak Leaves – Mid-Summer in Cornwall Butterflies Purple Hairstreak butterfly (Favonius quercus) In Cornwall’s mid-summer woods, the Purple Hairstreak flits high among sunlit oaks, its violet wings flashing in the canopy. Entirely tied to the oak’s seasonal rhythm, it is a fleeting jewel of July, best glimpsed in still warmth from morning to late afternoon. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
Copper Wings over Purple Heath: The Small Copper and Bell Heather in Cornwall’s Late Summer Butterflies Small Copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) In Cornwall’s late summer, the Small Copper butterfly and bell heather meet in perfect seasonal harmony. On purple heathland banks, these copper-winged jewels feed, bask, and breed, sustained by the nectar of Erica cinerea — a fleeting yet vital rhythm in the county’s wild tapestry. By Editorial Team • 4 min read
The Meadow Brown and Common Knapweed: A Mid-Summer Alliance in Cornwall’s Grasslands Butterflies Meadow Brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina) In Cornwall’s summer meadows, the Meadow Brown butterfly peaks with the bloom of Common Knapweed, its low flight and muted wings a constant presence among the purple heads—a perfect mid-season partnership. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
The Peacock Butterfly and the Michaelmas Daisy: An Autumn Partnership in Cornish Gardens Butterflies The Peacock butterfly (Aglais io, also historically known as Inachis io) In Cornwall’s gardens, the Peacock butterfly and Michaelmas Daisy form a vivid autumn partnership—one feeding for winter survival, the other blooming at the year’s end in a final burst of life. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
The Dark Green Fritillary: High-Summer Fire in Cornwall’s Meadows Butterflies Dark Green Fritillary butterfly (Argynnis aglaja) Flashing orange above Cornwall’s coastal meadows in late July, the Dark Green Fritillary powers between wild marjoram, knapweed, and thistle blooms. Its summer cycle depends on both vibrant nectar-rich grasslands and hidden patches of violets where the next generation begins. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
Common Blue on Bird’s-foot Trefoil: A Late Spring Partnership Along Cornwall’s Clifftops Butterflies The Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) In late spring Cornwall, the Common Blue butterfly dances over golden Bird’s-foot Trefoil on sunlit clifftops. Their life cycles are perfectly in step, with two strong broods and, in rare warm autumns, a third — a timeless coastal partnership shaped by Cornwall’s mild climate. By Editorial Team • 5 min read
The Large White and the Glow of Honesty: An Early Summer Dance in Cornish Gardens Butterflies Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae) In Cornwall’s early summer, Large White butterflies visit purple Honesty blooms for nectar, their flights peaking with the plant’s flowering. Mild climates, cottage gardens, and nearby crucifers strengthen this seasonal garden partnership. By Editorial Team • 6 min read
Glanville Fritillary on Ribwort Plantain: A Rare Spring Vision on Cornwall’s Coasts Butterflies The Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) The Glanville Fritillary, now extinct in Cornwall, depends on Ribwort Plantain in erosion-shaped coastal grasslands. With nearest colonies over 200km away, its return would require restored, connected habitats, long-term care, and protection from trampling during critical breeding months. By Editorial Team • 6 min read
