Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire - Saving butterflies, moths and their habitats in Warwickshire

A female Brimstone feeding at Ryton Wood. © 2007 -2020 Steven Cheshire.

A male Brimstone feeding on Common Knapweed - Weddington, Nuneaton. © 2007 -2020 Steven Cheshire.

Brimstone pupa. © 2020 Keith Warmington.

Brimstone pupa momnets before the adult butterfly emerges. © 2020 Keith Warmington.

A Brimstone caterpillar resting on a Buckthorn leaf at Alvecote Wood. © 2014 -2020 Steven Cheshire.

A Brimstone caterpillar resting on a Buckthorn leaf at Alvecote Wood. © 2011 -2020 Steven Cheshire.

Clouded Yellow Family Pieridae Speckled Wood

Brimstone

Gonepteryx rhamni (58.013)

Warm sunny days in early March brings the lemon-yellow male Brimstone out from hibernation, closely followed a week or so later by the bluish-white females. The Brimstone is one of the longest living of British Butterflies and is the only species outside the Nymphalidae family to hibernate as an adult butterfly. The male Brimstone is thought to be the original 'butter-coloured fly.

The bright, rich yellow of the male Brimstone butterfly cannot be confused with any other UK butterfly. The female, however, is a very pale yellow/bluish white and is easily confused for a Large White.

Habitat Requirements

The Brimstone is usually found in grassland, woodland edges and woodland rides, open areas and hedgerows but can also be found in any location even where the larval foodplant is not present as the butterfly may travel widely from its larval home.

Larval Foodplants

The larvae of the Brimstone feed on Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus).

Garden Tips

Plant Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) or Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) in a sunny location and the Brimstone female will find your garden and lay her eggs.

Flight Period

The Brimstone is one of the first butterflies to be seen each spring. The male butterflies will take advantage of mild sunny days in late February and early March. By early April, they become increasingly common on warm, sunny spring days. The buttery-yellow males will venture far and wide in search of the paler bluish-white females that have now emerged. They will remain on the wing through May and early June but are then absent for most of July and August.

The subsequent offspring appear in late August and early September and are easily approached as the feed on flowers; building up their energy reserves in preparation for hibernation.

By the middle of September, most have hibernated in tree hollows and sheltered vegetation, especially within evergreen ivy and conifers before emerging the following spring to start the cycle all over again.

First and Latest/Last Sighting 2020

	Date	#	Location	Recorder

Click to view first sightings data from 2007 to 2020

14-02-2019 by Richard Dinsdale at Lime Avenue,Leamington Spa.

28-01-2018 by Jonathan Bowley at Idlicote.

24-01-2017 by M. Slater at Bishop's Bowl.

21-02-2016 by Mike Slater at Pagets Pool Escarpment.

08-01-2015 by John Balls at Old Nuns Wood.

16-02-2014 by J. Carter, S. Batt & P. Parr, M. Kennard at Pillerton Priors, Ashlawn Cutting, Bishops Hill.

03-01-2013 by Robin Jarman at Monks Drive Studley.

23-02-2012 by John Harris at Middleton Hall, Mill Plantation.

14-02-2011 by Steven Cheshire and Keith Warmington at Harbury Spoilbank South SSSI.

13-03-2010 by Robin Jarman at Garden, Studley.

27-02-2009 by Darran Rickards at Spa Park, Leamington Spa.

01-02-2008 by Hilary Harvey at Hillers Garden Centre, Dunnington.

10-01-2007 by Liz Dinsdale at Claybrookes Marsh.

*First sighting dates for the Brimstone are based on records submitted online only. These dates are not updated retrospectively to include records submitted to the branch recorder in other forms.

View Brimstone sightings count and location data

Warwickshire Status

Resident

Distribution in Warwickshire

The Brimstone is a widespread species in Warwickshire. As you can see from the distribution maps below, it is a species that seems to be coping reasonably well with climate change and changes in habitat although there are some losses in the county which may be the result of recording effort. The 2015 to 2019 distribution map will hopefully continue to show that this species remains stable.