Regional Species


Small Heath
Coenonympha pamphilus

Photograph by Janet Graham

Regional Species

One of our commonest and most widespread butterflies, this is one of the few species that can survive on sheep grazed upland grassland. In spite of this there is considerable cause for alarm as the butterfly has shown a drastic decline nationally (as much as 60%) and the same trend may be revealing itself here. The butterfly thrives best in areas of short turf with abundant nectar sources. For this reason manuring or fertilising of the pasture or simply keeping sheep at high density are all actions with dire consequences for the butterfly.

In the south of Britain the Small Heath is double (or even triple) brooded whilst in the north there is only one generation each year. North Wales lies near the transition in this respect and it may be that some of our butterflies adopt the double-brooded strategy whilst others, perhaps those living at greater altitude, are univoltine. The true situation could be more complicated but the observed fact is that adult butterflies can be seen every day of the year from April through to the end of September. Eggs are laid on the more delicate grasses such as fescues and bents.

A simple butterfly to identify although in just a few localities it could be confused with the Large Heath.