Speckled Wood

Pararge Aegeria

Family Nymphalidae

• Colouring – Brown with cream spots around the edges of their wings.
• Life span – April through to the end of October.
• Native – British butterfly.
• Caterpillar colour – Green with a short forked tail.
• Eggs to caterpillar – 10-12 days.
• Food for the caterpillar – Grasses, false-brown, cock-foot, Yorkshire fog and common couch.
• Food for the butterfly – Variety of grasses, dandelions, bramble, ragworts, fleabane.

Special features

The Speckled Wood butterfly females typically mate only once in their lifetime. Prefers damp areas where the grasses used as larval food grow tall and lush. Also particularly robust and flies in overcast conditions.