British Butterflies and European Butterflies (1 Viewer)

[Himalaya]

Britain has a relatively small list of butterflies recorded here but I wonder how does our list differ to Ireland's and say France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium?

I would imagine Ireland has a smaller list. I have seen the Icelandic list which is about 6 and all all migrants?

It would be nice to know what species in nearby area and how they differ.

 

[KenM]

Britain has a relatively small list of butterflies recorded here but I wonder how does our list differ to Ireland's and say France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium?

I would imagine Ireland has a smaller list. I have seen the Icelandic list which is about 6 and all all migrants?

It would be nice to know what species in nearby area and how they differ.

A good question Himalaya, interesting that Iceland has just 6 migrant species with no endemics, would assume that Red Admiral and Painted Lady are two of the six migrants?

Cheers

 

[Adey Baker]

France and Spain have extensive mountain ranges with far more butterflies than we can muster. All those dark brown 'Erebia' ringlets , fritillaries, blues, etc., - and it's not just the high peaks, just inland from the 'Costas' there are lots of good habitats to be explored by anyone prepared to turn their backs on the Med!

 

[Himalaya]

Peacock has been recorded but probably ship assisted!

A good question Himalaya, interesting that Iceland has just 6 migrant species with no endemics, would assume that Red Admiral and Painted Lady are two of the six migrants?

Cheers

 

[Himalaya]

Small White, Cabbage White, Small Tortoiseshell

https://www.icelandreview.com/nature-travel/has-the-painted-lady-butterfly-been-seen-in-iceland/

 

[aeshna5]

Small White, Cabbage White, Small Tortoiseshell

https://www.icelandreview.com/nature-travel/has-the-painted-lady-butterfly-been-seen-in-iceland/

Cabbage White isn't a species- it's a collective gardener's/farmer's name that covers both Small & Large White whose larvae will feed on Brassicas.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I don't think Belgium and the Netherlands have huge lists though I could be wrong. Going North though, you'd be suprisesd at the variety available that we don't see. Even on my patch outside St Petersburg, Russia which is on the same latitude as Shetland, I get eight species of Fritillary, two Purple Emperors and Poplar Admiral plus loads of other, slightly less spectacular species.

By comparison, my home County of Nottinghamshire is poor for butterflies generally with not a single, extant population of Fritillary to be found anywhere.

 

[Himalaya]

Small White, Cabbage White, Small Tortoiseshell

https://www.icelandreview.com/nature-travel/has-the-painted-lady-butterfly-been-seen-in-iceland/

Thanks for correcting me. I thought it was another named for Green Veined White.

 

[Himalaya]

I don't think Belgium and the Netherlands have huge lists though I could be wrong. Going North though, you'd be suprisesd at the variety available that we don't see. Even on my patch outside St Petersburg, Russia which is on the same latitude as Shetland, I get eight species of Fritillary, two Purple Emperors and Poplar Admiral plus loads of other, slightly less spectacular species.

By comparison, my home County of Nottinghamshire is poor for butterflies generally with not a single, extant population of Fritillary to be found anywhere.

I suppose it is one of the benefits of being part of the mainland. What species do Belgium and the Netherlands get we do not? What about Norway?

 

[Xenospiza]

Northwestern Europe (including northern Germany and France) has/had about 145 species.

I have seen 57 species in the Netherlands, which is not a "top list" (I guess 10 more might be); 102 in the Netherlands + northwestern Germany. The only ones I've seen in the UK (where I have seen 52), but not yet in NW Europe are Lulworth Skipper (possible in Germany) and Northern Brown Argus (which doesn't occur anywhere near). I have 13 new species left within a five hour drive (which would take me to northern Bavaria).

A whopping 17 species are extinct in the Netherlands, but most of these are still gettable in nearby Belgium or Germany. I am currently failing to find two Pyrgus species in Germany which may have succumbed to the three-year drought...

Ones that occur regularly in the Netherlands which are absent or very local in the UK:
Mallow skipper, Carcharodus alceae (new; I've only seen it in Germany but it's rapidly increasing)
Chequered skipper, Carterocephalus palaemon
Large chequered skipper, Heteropterus morpheus (strong decrease)
Cranberry blue, Agriades optilete (almost gone)
Mazarine blue, Cyaniris semiargus (local)
Large copper, Lycaena dispar (very local, endemic ssp)
Sooty copper, Lycaena tityrus
Alcon blue, Phengaris alcon (strong decrease)
Dusky large blue, Phengaris nausithous (one location, terrible disturbance this year...)
Scarce large blue, Phengaris teleius (reintroduced; never tried, but have seen it in Germany)
Ilex hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis (strong decrease)
Map, Araschnia levana
Cranberry fritillary, Boloria aquilonaris (almost gone; I've seen it in Germany)
Lesser marbled fritillary, Brenthis ino (new arrival; I've seen it in Germany)
Niobe fritillary, Fabriciana niobe
Tree grayling, Hipparchia statilinus (almost gone)
Queen of Spain fritillary, Issoria lathonia
Large tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros (increasing)
Eurasian swallowtail, Papilio machaon
Southern small white Pieris mannii (new arrival, I've only seen it in Germany but it's rapidly increasing and a pain to find!)

I expect Oberthür's grizzled skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus) to arrive shortly (it's not too hard in Germany, where it is moving north at a fast pace).

 

[renopaul]

Iceland may not have any native butterflies but it has quite a healthy moth list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lepidoptera_of_Iceland

Cheers
Paul