Here's an overview of the most common butterflies we have in Sweden. You have probably seen these during the summer.
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The stinging nettle butterfly belongs to the family of butterflies and is one of our most common butterflies found throughout the country. Overwintering butterflies can be seen as early as March, but normally from April to June. They hatch at the end of June and can be observed until September. The nettle butterfly overwinters in outbuildings and cellars, for example. The upper side of the butterfly is warm orange with three large black spots on the forewing, with equally large yellow spots in between. The outer edges of the wings have blue spots, and the underside is dark, providing good camouflage during hibernation. Stinging nettle is the host plant.
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The rape butterfly is a species in the white butterfly family. It has a fluttering flight style with a straight course. The butterfly can be seen in overlapping generations from April to September. The upperside of the rapeseed butterfly is creamy white with dark powdering along the wing ribs. Host plants include meadowfoam, bulrush and other cruciferous plants.
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The thistle butterfly is a member of the butterfly family and is a migratory butterfly that does not overwinter in Sweden. Instead, it visits us between June and September, when it lays eggs and a new generation of butterflies develops. The butterfly has a light orange upperside with black spots, where the outer half of the forewings is black with white spots of varying sizes. At the outer edge of the hind wings there are pale blue eye spots. The thistle butterfly is known to fly faster and more efficiently than most butterflies. Its host plants include thistles and sedges.
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The jewelwing butterfly belongs to the jewelwing family and can be seen throughout the summer for several generations. The butterfly shows variations in appearance, with males having a sky blue upperside but a thin black outer edge. A characteristic of the species is the white wedge on the underside of the hindwing. The host plants of the pygmy blue butterfly are various pea plants, especially chickweed.
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The peacock butterfly is a species of the butterfly family and is one of our best-known butterflies. The butterfly hatches at the end of July and can be seen until September, while overwintering individuals fly from April to June. During the winter, they live in attics, basements and outbuildings. The peacock eye is a chestnut brown color with characteristic eye spots on both fore and hind wings, a pattern used to scare off enemies. If the butterfly feels threatened, it may also make a faint drumming sound. Stinging nettle is the butterfly's host plant.
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The lemon butterfly is a species of the white butterfly family and is one of our most long-lived butterflies. It is mainly seen from July to September, but if it appears earlier, between April and June, it is likely to be an overwintered butterfly from the previous year. The lemon butterfly is characterized by its distinctive yellow color - the male is sulfur yellow, while the female has a pale lemon yellow hue. The wing shape is unique, with a pointed forewing that resembles a leaf when dormant. The female can be easily confused with the cabbage butterfly. The butterfly's host plants are bracken and goat willow.
August 23, 2024
