Camberwell Beauty

Nymphalis antiopa

Occassional sightings of the Camberwell beauty occur in the region from time to time. Few are genuine migrants as most are believed to be the result of releases by breeders.

Habitat Requirements

The Camberwell beauty is usually found in woodland habitats in mainland Europe, but it is also known to breed in a range of other habitats where the larval foodplants occur.

Historic Records in Warwickshire

• 1995: One at Hall Green, one at Lighthorne Heath, three at Sutton Coldfield, one at Bubbenhall, one at Coventry, one at Ullenhall, one at Rugby, one at Oxhouse Farm, one at Kenilworth (August) and one at Bearley all during the month of August^1.
• 1977: One at Nuneaton (May)
• 1976: One at Foleshill Road Ambulance Station (September)^{1. N1.}
• 1976: One at Nether Whitacre by Mr. Davies (per Peter Hanney) (06 September)^1.
• 1976: One at Warwick by Miss G. Cooper (28 August)^1.
• 1976: One at Birmingham by Mrs Mary Bourne (21 August)^1.
• 1973: One at Keresley (October)^1.
• 1960's: Several hundred Camberwell beauty were released at Brandon Marsh, Coventry as part of a publicity stunt for paper merchants Samuel Jones.
• 1948: One at Stratford-upon-Avon by Rev. A. P. Allan in Entomologist, Vol LXXX, No 1025 October 1948 (30 July)^1.
• 1948: One at Solihull by G. C. Price (05 August)^1.
• 1946: One at Clowes Wood in the Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural History Society Vol 18 1957. (April)^1.
• 1944: One at Five Ways Birmingham by Miss O. Stone (September)^1.

Sources
^1. Smith, R. and Brown, D. (1979) The Lepidoptera of Warwickshire; a provisional list. Part One, Butterflies 1900-1977, Hesperiidae to Satyridae.
Notes
^N1. This specimen was taken to Dr. Penny Wheatcroft of Coventry Museum for identification and seen by Roger Smith. Attempts were made to facilitate its hibernation, but the butterfly did not survive.