Speckled Wood

Name: Speckled Wood

Scientific name: Pararge aegeria

Category: Minibeasts

Nature Stars: 40

What are nature stars?

About: A medium sized butterfly, dark brown with creamy yellow spots and a wingspan of about 5 cm. Adults are on the wing in two or three broods, between the end of March and the end of October. A common and widespread butterfly of woodland edges and rides where it loves the dappled sunlight. Caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses.

How to identify: The best way to identify the 'brown' butterflies is by looking at the eye spots on their wings. The Speckled Wood is the only brown butterfly with small creamy spots, and with three eye spots on each hind wing and one on each fore wing.

Where: Found in woodlands throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, increasingly found in Scotland.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 10
• Agility: 70
• Rarity: 30
• Cute factor: 40
• Traveller: 50

Fantastic fact: The Speckled Wood has expanded its range in recent years, moving northwards perhaps as a result of climate change.

Photograph credit: Keith Warmington/www.warmies.co.uk