- National Status: Occurs in England as far north as Yorkshire with range expanding northwards and eastwards.
- Population Trend: 10 years -11%; since 1976 -25%.
- West Midlands Status: The West Midlands is towards the western margin of its range. Well distributed in Worcestershire and Staffordshire but less common and probably under-recorded in the other two counties. Evidence of range expansion. Population trend 10 years – increasing but with wide variation from year to year.
- Hotspots: Bredon Hill, Llynclys Common, Manifold Valley. Sites Trench Wood, Grafton Wood.
- Habitat: Grassy slopes on chalk or limestone with Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium. Increasingly, the butterfly has utilised various Geraniaceae spp. as foodplants and is now found in a wide range of new sites with early successional habitats including set-aside farmland, gravel workings, sewage works and brownfield sites.
- Flight Period: Can be double brooded and on the wing from early May to early October. The spring brood is poorly developed in the West Midlands.
- Wingspan 25–31 mm.
Male
Female
Caterpillar Food Plant: The main foodplant is Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium). Common Stork’s-bill (Erodium cicutarium) and Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle) are also used.
Life Cycle
- The Charts: distribution over the last 5 years 2019 to 2023
- The Population Trend from Transect Records over the last 10 Years
- Phenology from All Records
Detail Mapping of Sites on Google 2019
Detail Mapping of Sites on Google 2020
Detail Mapping of Sites on Google 2021
Detail Mapping of Sites on Google 2022
Butterfly and Moths West Midlands Branch 