Description
this butterfly is widespread in southern england, extending just into wales and northwards. it has white-banded black wings and a distinctive delicate flight, which has short periods of wing beats followed by long glides. it could be confused with the larger purple emperor. adults are often found nectaring on bramble flowers in rides and clearings. it is a fairly shade-tolerant butterfly, flying in dappled sunlight to lay eggs on honeysuckle. the white admiral occurs widely in southern britain and has spread rapidly since the 1920s, after an earlier contraction. however, population monitoring has shown a dramatic decline in the last 20 years, for reasons that are as yet unclear.
Habitat
The butterfly uses shady woodland and ride edges and is often associated with neglected or mature woodland, where there are sunny glades with large patches of Bramble to provide nectar for the adults. It is found in both deciduous and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodland.
Countries
Countries: England and Wales
Wing span range
0mm
