Photo identification - Herts & Middx Butterfly Conservation

Butterfly Identification photos

This page provides links to photos of all our butterflies in the UK to aid identification and illustrate examples of behaviour, aberrations and the immature stages. There are many, many gaps to fill so if you are willing to share some of your photos please let us know.

Links are given for European butterflies and British moths as well.
Most original photos will be retained in the Photo Stock Library. All photos are the copyright of the named photographer.

[Click on butterfly image to load photos. Click on species to load an account description (if available - highlighted in blue)]


Adonis Blue 2017 - Dave Miller Black Hairstreak egg laying 2004 - Sandra Standbridge Brimstone 2007 - Helen Bantock Brown Argus 2009 - Clare Gray
Adonis Blue Black Hairstreak Brimstone Brown Argus
Brown Hairstreak 2001 - Nick Sampford Camberwell Beauty  2010 - Sandra Standbridge Chalkhill Blue 2005 - Clare Gray Chequered Skipper 2005 - Steve Lane
Brown Hairstreak Camberwell Beauty Chalkhill Blue Chequered Skipper
Clouded Yellow 2006 - Trevor Chapman Comma 2009 - Sezar Hikmet Common Blue 2014 - Dave Miller Dark Green Fritillary - John Stevens
Clouded Yellow Comma Common Blue Dark Green Fritillary
Dingy Skipper (f) 2009 - Elizabeth Debenham Duke of Burgundy 2007 - Bob Cripps Essex Skipper (f) 10Jul17 - Bob Clift Gatekeeper 2009 - Dave Miller
Dingy Skipper Duke of Burgundy Essex Skipper Gatekeeper
Glanville Fritillary 2004 - Adrian Webb Grayling 2006 - Liz Goodyear Green Hairstreak  2008 - Paul Thrush Green-veined White 2016 - Dave Miller
Glanville Fritillary Grayling Green Hairstreak Green-veined White
Grizzled Skipper (f) 2006 - Sandra Standbridge Heath Fritillary 2006 - Sandra Standbridge High Brown Fritillary 2002 - Nick Sampford Holly Blue 2005 - Richard Bigg
Grizzled Skipper Heath Fritillary High Brown Fritillary Holly Blue
Large Blue 2005 - Steve Lane Large Heath 2006 - Trevor Chapman Large Skipper (m) 2005 - Andrew Palmer Large Tortoiseshell 2009 - Ian Small
Large Blue Large Heath Large Skipper Large Tortoiseshell
Large White (m) 2016 - Dave Miller Long-tailed Blue 2002 - Nick Sampford Lulworth Skipper 2007 - Darin Stanley Marbled White 2004 - Nick Sampford
Large White Long-tailed Blue Lulworth Skipper Marbled White
Marsh Fritillary 2006 - Sandra Standbridge Meadow Brown 2013 - Dave Miller Mountain Ringlet 2005 - Nick Sampford Northern Brown Argus 2006 - Steve Lane
Marsh Fritillary Meadow Brown Mountain Ringlet Northern Brown Argus
Orange Tip 2010 - Robin Pearson Painted Lady 2003 - Allen Beechey Peacock 2005 - Richard Bigg Pearl-bordered Fritillary 2002 - Nick Sampford
Orange-tip Painted Lady Peacock Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Purple Emperor 2009 - Laurence Drummond Purple Hairstreak 2007 - June Crew Red Admiral 2016 - Dave Miller Ringlet 2016 - Bob Clift
Purple Emperor Purple Hairstreak Red Admiral Ringlet
Scotch Argus 2014 - Dave Miller Silver-spotted Skipper 2004 - Sandra Standbridge Silver-studded Blue 2013 Dave Miller Silver-washed Fritillary 2006 - Geoff Horn
Scotch Argus Silver-spotted Skipper Silver-studded Blue Silver-washed Fritillary
Small Blue 2003 - Allen Beechey Small Copper 2008 -  Andrew Steele Small Heath 2007 - Martin Parr Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary 2006 - Sandra Standbridge
Small Blue Small Copper Small Heath Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Small Skipper (m) 13Jun17 - Dave Miller Small Tortoiseshell 2017 - Dave Miller Small White 2017 - Bob Clift Speckled Wood 2005 - Lee Browne
Small Skipper Small Tortoiseshell Small White Speckled Wood
Swallowtail 2006 - Andrew Middleton Wall 2006 - Sandra Standbridge White Admiral 2008 - Clive Burrows White-letter Hairstreak 2007 - Steve Lane
Swallowtail Wall White Admiral White-letter Hairstreak
Wood White 2007 - Darin Stanley      
Wood White      


Papilionidae - Swallowtails

Hesperiidae - Skippers

Pieridae - Whites and Yellows

Nymphalidae - Browns, Fritillaries and Aristocrats

Riodinidae - Metalmarks

Lycanenidae - Coppers, Hairstreaks and Blues

Photo Stock Library

British Moth photos - Index Page

European butterfly species linked on this page . . .

Papilionidae - Festoons, Swallowtails and Apollos

Hesperiidae - Skippers

Pieridae - Whites and Yellows

Nymphalidae 1 - Danainae - Monarchs

Nymphalidae 2 - Satyrinae - Browns

Nymphalidae 3 - Heliconiinae and Nymphalinae (2) (Melitaeini only) - Fritillaries

Nymphalidae 4 - Libytheidae, Charaxes, Limenitidinae and Apaturinae - including Nettle-tree, Pasha, 'White' Admirals and Emperors

Nymphalidae 5 - Nymphalinae (1) including Red Admiral, Tortoiseshells and Commas

Lycanenidae 1 - Lycaeninae - Coppers

Lycanenidae 2 - Theclinae - Hairstreaks

Lycanenidae 3 - Polyommatinae - Blues