Meadow Brown butterfly
Maniola jurtina
family - Satyridae (Browns)
The Meadow Brown butterfly has light brown bands across the underside of the hindwing. The underside of the forewing is light brown (at the edge) and tan/orange with a single white spot in a black eyespot.
The upperside of the male is dark brown. Females are orange and brown on the upperside.
My personal observations of the Meadow Brown butterfly
months seen in my garden: June, July and August
garden plants that attract this species:
Buddleia, Ceanothus, Clethra, Field Scabious, Hebe, Heliotrope, Hydrangea, Lavender, Lobelia, Marigold, Marjoram, Thyme, Virginian Stock
butterfly sightings 2005:
My first sighting of a Meadow Brown butterfly was on 18 June
Meadow Brown
at Clattinger Farm, 26 June
Meadow Brown on Red
Clover at Clattinger Farm, 26 June
Meadow Brown with
snail at Clattinger Farm, 26 June
Meadow Brown on Buddleia
Lochinch, 3 July
Meadow Brown on Hebe,
3 July
Meadow Brown on Knapweed
at Badbury Rings, 13 July
Meadow Brown on Marjoram,
26 July
Meadow Brown
on Ragwort, 31 July
Meadow Brown
on Autumn Hawkbit?, 31 July
Meadow Brown
on Ragwort, 31 July
Meadow Brown
on Agrimony, 31 July
Seen in garden, 3 August
Seen at Barrow Wake, 18 August
Seen in Cirencester Park, 20 August
Seen at Whitesheet hill, 21 August
butterfly sightings 2004:
Meadow Brown on Wild Thyme,
19 June
Meadow Brown on Hebe, 25
June
Meadow Brown on Verbena,
25 June
Meadow Brown, 1 July
Best slides of 2003:
On Field Scabious. Uley, Gloucestershire. July
12.
On Field Scabious. Uley, Gloucestershire. July
12.
Top view. Golden Valley, Gloucestershire. July
8.
Top view. Fontmell Down, Dorset. August
10.
On Bramble. Golden Valley, Gloucestershire. July
8.
2 together. North Meadow, Cricklade, Wiltshire. Evening. June
20.
Best digital images of 2003:
Only 21 digital images from 2003; I've selected six to represent this butterfly species.
On Buddleia. August 7.
On Buddleia. August 4.
Backlit. On Verbena. July
27.
On Clethra at Stourhead
Gardens, Wiltshire. August 12.
Side view. Hindwing covering
spot on forewing to camoflage. On Fontmell Down, Dorset. August 11.
Top side of wings visible.
On Fontmell Down, Dorset. August 12.
A selection of images from past years:
5 September 2002, on Scabious
at Westonbirt
12 July 2002, resting on
Honeysuckle.
6 July 2002, on Bramble.
28 June 2001, on Lavender.
2 August 2000, on Knapweed.
4 August 1999, on Buddleia
weyeriana with Peacock
4 August 1999, on Marjoram.
11 July 1999, on Lavender.
30 June 1999, on Ox-Eye Daisy.
observations:
The Meadow Brown is said to be the commonest butterfly in the English countryside. I initially thought that it was not a common visitor in my garden but then I counted how many garden plants had been visited by Meadow Brown butterflies and realised that I was wrong.
The Meadow Brown butterfly seems to be primarily interested in Buddleia, Hebe and Verbena bonariensis. Lavender and Marjoram are also good plants for this butterfly.
Reference Section
Size: 50-55mm (same size as Small White - see list of butterflies by size)
First Generation flight period: June-September
Second Generation flight period: September-October
Larval Food Plants: Grasses
Wild Nectar Plants: Ox-eye Daisy, Bramble, Ragwort
Identified by the one white pupil in the black eyespot on the forewing; the Gatekeeper is twin-pupilled
Family Group: Satyridae - see list of butterflies by family