Var female form - Helice
BRIMSTONE MALE - SULPHUR YELLOW IN FLIGHT -CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR THE CLOUDED YELLO
Butterflies 1976-2025
Clouded Yellow
Wingspan - 55 mm
This is a summer migrant to the UK from France, where it is abundant. Here in the UK the numbers arriving along our Southern coasts and flying inland vary from year to year. I have seen the butterfly along the ridge from Eynsford to Otford and at Sittingbourne. It is more common along coastal regions of Kent and along the estuary corridors. Recorded in Bromley Common in 2013 in abundance.
Identification: Male is bright yellow wih solid dark borders. Females are paler yellow with yellow spots in the borders. The paler female form helice, inset, is mostly white, but retains the characteristic wing shape and pattern. It can be distinguished from the rarer Pale Clouded Yellow by its broader, darker borders
History: A regular migrant to the UK. Chalmers Hunt 1800 -1962 includes a December sighting, however, also notes the butterflies complete absence in years 1896-97. 1976- 2025 years of abundance are noted in red. Its absence from records in this survey area, denotes how the butterfly is often limited in its spread to more Eastern and coastal areas of Kent.
Habit: This bright yellow butterfly is prone to rests with wings closed, but on the wing it flies fast and low over rough pastures and suitably uncultivated road and railway embankments - especially where suitable foodplants are found. Once identified, never again mistaken for other yellow or yellowish butterflies or moths, except in the case of the female variety Helice shown inset.
Double brooded (occasional third) : the butterflies we see in the UK, breed here, but many of the offspring will not survive our winter and may move back South. However, there is hope and some evidence, with the change in climate, the butterfly will overwinter and breed here.
Larvae and Foodplant: Green larvae can be found from late May onwards on various trefoil and leguminous type plants. My observations have been highlighted by seeing the butterfly among buttercups.
Status: regular summer visitor here from France where it is not under threat.
WH - White Hill Shoreham, BC - Bromley Common Elmfield Fack - Fackenden Down and Bank
© Rodney Compton
with thanks to Ted Bates FB Kent Butterfies UK
Howard Walmsley and David Davis, Fred O'Hare