Butterflies in Poulter Park

We’ve been taking part in the Sutton Parks butterfly recording initiative and snapping butterflies in Poulter Park and Revesby Wood.

We’re using the iRecord App which is makes identification a bit easier. It’s super easy to get started and makes a great holiday activity. Just think about it as live-action Pokemon without the poke balls.

Here’s some of our favourites. Have you seen any of these?

Comma

Spotted by the Wandle Trail and in the meadow in front of Bishopsford House.

Marbled White

Meadow in front of Bishopsford House.

Speckled Wood Butterfly

Spotted by the playground on Petersborough Road.

Large Skipper

Spotted by the Bishopsford Road entrance access road.

Common Blue

Spotted by the Bishopsford Road entrance access road. Confusingly the underside of its wings aren’t even slightly blue.

Small blue

Spotted by the River Wandle in Poulter Park

Tips for identifying white butterflies

Everybody (even people who have been recording butterflies for years) has problems with the white butterflies. These tips from the Sutton Parks team should help.

Butterfly jizz

You will very often see white butterflies fly past without settling – so you can’t ID them on appearance.

The better news is that, because these are common species you can ID on the basis of probability and you base this on their flying pattern or ‘jizz’.

Large or Small Whites

If you see a white flying powerfully and erratically chances are it is a Large or a Small White.

Large Whites can be quite small and Small Whites can be quite large – so size can be deceptive. Look to see if you can see any black on the wingtips as they fly past.

Try to get an impression if the butterfly is shiny/glossy – in which case it is likely to be a Large White. The Small White by contrast is much more matte.

The black on the wingtip in the Large White is larger and more shiny than that of the Small White.

Female Brimstone

If you can see no black on the wingtips – and the butterfly could be the palest of pale yellows – then think female Brimstone.

There are more female Brimstones around than people think – particularly during their flight periods – and they are often recorded as Large or Small Whites.

Brimstones tend to settle more often than the LW/SWs and when they do their wing shape is diagnostic.

Green Veined Whites (GVW)

Green Veined Whites have a weaker and more fluttery flight than Large and Small.

They prefer damper and more shaded habitat, like wood or field edges.

If you see a white fluttering around bushes – chances are that it will be a GVW.

There are more GVWs around than people think and so they are often recorded as Small Whites.

Female Orange-Tips

In April/May there are also female Orange-Tips on the wing.

The males are unmistakable – but the females can easily be mistaken for GVWs.

The Orange tips tend to have a more linear and purposeful flight – they look as if they are on a mission.

Find out more on identifying white butterflies in this blog

Start your butterfly journey!

It’s really easy, just download the app and get snapping!