Speckled wood

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood ©Tom Marshall

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood ©Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

Speckled wood

Enw gwyddonol: Pararge aegeria
The speckled wood prefers the dappled sunlight of woodland rides and edges, hedgerows and even gardens. Despite declines, its range has spread over recent years.

Species information

Ystadegau

Wingspan: 4.6-5.6cm

Statws cadwraethol

Common.

Pryd i'w gweld

March to October

Ynghylch

A medium-sized butterfly, the speckled wood is on the wing in two or three broods between the end of March and October. It is a common and widespread butterfly of woodland edges and rides, where it flies in the dappled sunlight, and can also be seen in hedgerows and gardens. Adults feed on honeydew, while the caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses, including false broom and cock's-foot.

Sut i'w hadnabod

The speckled wood is dark brown with creamy yellow spots. The best way to identify the 'brown' butterflies is by looking at the eyespots on their wings. The speckled wood is the only brown butterfly with three small, cream-ringed eyespots on each hindwing and one on each forewing.

Dosbarthiad

Found throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and increasingly in Scotland.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

There are a number of subspecies of speckled woods. Those in the north are dark brown with white spots, while those further south are dark brown with orange spots.