Our smallest resident butterfly is easily overlooked, partly because of its size and dusky colouring, but partly because it is often confined to small patches of sheltered grassland where its sole foodplant, Kidney Vetch, is found.

Habitat for Small blue butterflies

The most remarkable feature of the Comma has been its severe decline in the twentieth century and subsequent comeback. It is now widespread in southern Britain and its range is expanding northwards.

Found on damp neutral grassland, limestone grassland, chalk downland, breck grassland, sandy heathland, sand dunes, woodland rides and clearings

The Green Hairstreak holds its wings closed, except in flight, showing only the green underside with its faint white streak.

The Common Blue is the most widespread blue butterfly in Britain and Ireland and is found in a variety of grassy habitats.

This small butterfly is characteristic of southern chalk and limestone grassland.

Commonly found on chalk or unimproved grassland, heathland, woodland clearings, waste ground and moorland

In July it flies in areas of unimproved grassland and can occur in large numbers on southern downland

Moths & Butterflies at Tidgrove

Butterflies are among the best indicators of a healthy landscape, reflecting the quality of the habitats on which they depend. At Tidgrove Estate, our programme of chalk grassland restoration, carefully managed grazing and native wildflower establishment is creating an increasingly diverse environment for butterflies, moths and other pollinating insects.

Working alongside naturalists including Andy Bolton, we monitor the estate's butterfly and moth populations to measure the success of our conservation work. To date, more than 30 butterfly speciesand over 225 species of mothhave been recorded, with many breeding successfully on the estate. Species such as the Small Blue, Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper, Green Hairstreakand Marbled Whiteare all indicators of the rich habitats that are developing across Tidgrove. Recent surveys have also recorded the nationally localised micro moth Sitochroa palealis, whose presence reflects the abundance of native Wild Carrotwithin our restored meadows.

By encouraging important foodplants including Kidney Vetch, Wild Carrotand Horseshoe Vetch, together with species rich grassland and carefully managed grazing by our Belted Galloway cattle, we are creating the conditions needed for both common and specialist butterflies to flourish. This long term approach to habitat restoration is helping to build a healthier, more resilient ecosystem that benefits insects, birds, mammals and the wider landscape.