Butterfly and Moth Species Found in Cumbria

Forty-one butterfly species are found in Cumbria. Some are common, others not so common and a few others are relatively rare migrants seen only in 'good' years.

The table below lists the Cumbrian butterflies with access to a brief description, a photograph and suggested localities to see them.

The Flight times are drawn from butterfly behaviour in Cumbria using data held by the Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre at Tullie House.

Butterfly Name Scientific Name UK BAP Status
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni Low
Brown Argus Aricia agestis Not Listed
Camberwell Beauty Nymphalis antiopa Not Listed
Clouded Yellow Collas croceus Low
Comma Polygonia c-album Low
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus Low
Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja High
Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages High
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina High
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Low
Grayling Hipparchia semele High
Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi Low
Green-veined White Pieris napi Low
High Brown Fritillary Argynnis adippe High
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus Low
Large Heath Coenonympha tullia High
Large Skipper Ochlodes venata Low
Large White Pieris brassicae Low
Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia High
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina Low
Monarch Danaus plexippus Not Assessed
Mountain Ringlet Erebia epiphron High
Northern Brown Argus Plebeius artaxerxes High
Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines Low
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Low
Peacock Inachis io Low
Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne High
Purple Hairstreak Neozephyrus quercus Low
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Low
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperanthus Low
Scotch Argus Erebia aethiops Low
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia Low
Small Blue Cupido minimus High
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas Low
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus High
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene Medium
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris Low
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae Low
Small White Pieris rapae Low
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria Low
Wall Brown Iasiommata megera High
White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album High

Species Total Sightings Count Tables

Butterfly Name Sightings Count
Brown Argus 2
Clouded Yellow 25
Brown Hairstreak 27
Duke of Burgundy 35
Marsh Fritillary 58
Pearl-bordered Fritillary 90
White-letter Hairstreak 155
Purple Hairstreak 162
Large Heath 203
High Brown Fritillary 206
Mountain Ringlet 230
Silver-washed Fritillary 244
Small Blue 255
Scotch Argus 272
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary 340
Green Hairstreak 375
Northern Brown Argus 402
Grayling 427
Dingy Skipper 459
Gatekeeper 584
Holly Blue 623
Dark Green Fritillary 686
Small Copper 739
Large Skipper 758
Wall Brown 819
Brimstone 926
Small Skipper 992
Ringlet 1207
Comma 1329
Common Blue 1344
Small Heath 1364
Painted Lady 1443
Large White 1467
Orange-tip 1747
Small White 1846
Meadow Brown 2041
Green-veined White 2231
Peacock 2768
Speckled Wood 2828
Red Admiral 3427
Small Tortoiseshell 3517

Total number of butterfly species: 41. Number of sightings: 38653.

Moth Name Sightings Count
Red Sword-grass 1
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1
Blue-bordered Carpet 1
Small purple-barred 1
Bee moth 1
Caloptilia stigmatella 1
Small Dotted Buff 1
Tissue 1
Reddish Light Arches 1
Eucosma aspidiscana 1
Pale-shouldered Brocade 1
Grapholita jungiella 1
Common Wainscot 2
Elachista argentella 2
Phiaris schulziana 2
Small Elephant Hawk-moth 2
Narrow-winged Pug 2
Smoky Wave 2
Marbled White Spot 2
Agapeta zoegana 2
Streamer 2
Yellow-barred Brindle 2
Acleris emargana 3
Small China-mark 3
Pyrausta cingulata 3
Clouded Silver 3
Mullein 3
Epinotia ramella 4
Eucosma cana 4
Eyed Hawk-moth 4
Orange Underwing 4
Pale Tussock 4
Red Underwing 4
Grapholita compositella 4
Northern Spinach 4
Large Emerald 4
Mompha locupletella 4
Micropterix aruncella 4
Crambus perlella 4
Brindled Pug 4
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 4
Stenoptylia pterodactyla 4
Riband Wave 4
Apotomis turbidana 4
Scarce Umber 4
Lead Belle 5
Small Phoenix 5
July Belle 5
Phiaris palustrana 5
November Moth agg. 5
Cauchas fibulella 5
Gold Swift 5
Galium Carpet 5
Ancylis badiana 5
Light Brown Apple Moth 5
Spruce Carpet 5
Burnished Brass 5
Red-green Carpet 5
Argent and Sable 5
Diurnea fagella 5
Manchester Treble-bar 5
Pyrausta ostrinalis 5
Pyrausta despicata 5
Triangle Plume 5
Common Footman 5
Twenty-plume Moth 5
Alder Moth 5
Snout 5
Oak Eggar 6
July Highflyer 6
Red-necked Footman 6
Adela reamurella 6
Micropterix calthella 6
Pink-barred Sallow 6
Knot Grass 6
Cream Wave 6
Garden Tiger 6
Dark Arches 6
Agapeta hamana 6
Small Magpie 6
Vapourer 6
Purple-bordered Gold 6
Gold Spot 6
Gold Spangle 6
Clouded Magpie 6
Small Fan-footed Wave 7
Scoparia pyralella 7
Yellow-tail 7
Four-dotted Footman 7
Catoptria margaritella 7
Buff-tip 7
Diplodoma laichartingella 7
Grass Wave 7
Torticoides alternella 8
Crambus lathoniellus 8
Pale-brindled Beauty 8
Lathronympha strigana 8
Agriphila straminella 8
Twin-spot Carpet 8
Agriphila tristella 8
Crambus pascuella 8
Northern Eggar 8
Bird-cherry Ermine 9
Esperia sulphurella 9
Grey Dagger 9
Celypha lacunana 9
Treble-bar 9
Common Plume 9
Common Wave 10
Argyresthia goedartella 10
Purple Bar 10
Chrysoteuchia culmella 10
Flame Carpet 10
White Ermine 11
Micropterix aureatella 11
Northern Winter Moth 11
Mottled Umber 11
Light Emerald 11
Common White Wave 11
Pyrausta aurata 12
Wood Tiger 12
Mother of Pearl 13
Common Marbled Carpet 13
Spring Usher 13
Nettle-tap Moth 14
Evergestis pallidata 14
Pyrausta purpuralis 16
Ruby Tiger 16
Silver Hook 16
Nemophora degeerella 17
Winter Moth 18
Garden Carpet 18
Elephant Hawk-moth 19
Green Carpet 19
Fox Moth 20
Angle Shades 22
Antler Moth 27
Magpie 27
Brimstone Moth 27
Clouded Border 27
Udea lutealis 30
Drinker 30
Clouded Buff 31
Anania Funebris 32
Emperor Moth 32
Latticed Heath 33
Brown China-mark 34
Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet 40
Straw Dot 47
Large Yellow Underwing 67
Yellow Shell 74
Silver-ground Carpet 79
Mother Shipton 89
Burnet Companion 95
Shaded Broad-bar 97
Common Heath 97
Brown Silver-line 102
Speckled Yellow 108
Common Carpet 132
Hummingbird Hawk-moth 175
Six-spot Burnet 218
Cinnabar 234
Chimney Sweeper 338
Silver Y 829

Total number of moth species: 164. Number of sightings: 4057.