Marbled White butterfly
Melannargia galathea
family - Satyridae (Browns)
The Marbled White butterfly is white/cream in colour with black/brown markings.
My personal observations of the Marbled White butterfly
Seen in my Wiltshire garden: July
Seen in my Cirencester garden: June 2004
garden plants that attract this species: Field Scabious, Virginian Stock
Butterfly sightings 2005:
First seen 18 June
Marbled White (male)
on Red Clover at Lulworth, 12 July
Marbled White (female)
on Knapweed at Badbury Rings, 13 July
Marbled White (male)
on Thistle at Badbury Rings, 13 July
Seen at Barrow Wake, 18 August
Butterfly sightings 2004:
Marbled White on Clover,
19 June
Marbled Whites under Ox-Eye
Daisies, 19 June
Marbled White on Ox-Eye Daisy,
19 June
Mating pair of Marbled White
butterflies, 1 July
Female Marbled White on Knapweed,
1 July
Male Marbled White on Knapweed,
1 July
Top view of Marbled White,
1 July
Slides from 2003:
On Knapweed. Uley, Gloucestershire.
July 12.
On Field Scabious.
Uley, Gloucestershire. July 12.
On Knapweed. Uley,
Gloucestershire. July 12.
In Meadow at Daneway Banks,
Gloucestershire. June 21.
On Knapweed. Uley, Gloucestershire.
July 12.
Slide from 2001:
Marbled White on Knapweed. Crickley Hill, Gloucestershire. 16 July 2001.
observations:
Marbled White butterflies are fairly common on grassland areas of the Cotswold Hills. I've waited 5 summers to see a Marbled White butterfly in my Cirencester garden; found one feeding on Field Scabious in June 2004. Did have a few visit my previous garden in North Wiltshire where they were observed on Virginian Stock.
Reference Section
Size: 58mm (tiny bit bigger than Small White - see list of butterflies by size)
First Generation flight period: July-August
Habitat: Grassland
Larval Food Plants: Grasses
Wild Nectar Plants: Knapweed
Family Group: Satyridae - see list of butterflies by family