Speckled Wood
Pararge aegeria
This record describes Pararge aegeria (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The appearance of this butterfly changes from the north to the south, forming a cline, where individuals in the north are dark brown with white spots, whilst those in more southerly locations are dark brown with orange spots. 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 and this includes habitats such as gardens and hedgerows. This species is unique among the butterflies of the British Isles in that it can over-winter in two 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 two or three generations, depending on location and weather conditions and adults of later generations are generally darker than those emerging earlier in the year. The larval food plants are grasses. This butterfly is found in self-contained colonies throughout the British Isles and is expanding its range.
Wikipedia reference for Pararge aegeria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pararge aegeria.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Satyrinae
- Tribe
- Satyrini
- Genus
- Pararge
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
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 and this includes habitats such as gardens and hedgerows.
Seasonal Activity
April to October.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This butterfly is found in self-contained colonies throughout the British Isles and is expanding its range.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pararge aegeria. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Speckled Wood (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Speckled Wood
What is Speckled Wood?
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Speckled Wood found?
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 and this includes habitats such as gardens and hedgerows.
When is Speckled Wood active?
Speckled Wood: seasonal activity - April to October..