Friday, 3 September, 2010 homebutterfliesmothseventspressrecordingprojectsreservemembershipmagazinedownloadaboutcontactlinks Butterflies of Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus The Small Heath rarely settles more than a meter above ground. They are most often seen flying low to the ground among grass in sunshine. It always settles with Its wings closed as shown in the photo right. Adult butterflies may be seen continuously from late April to September on some sites in southern England but numbers peak throughout the UK in July and August. Larval Food plants Fescues (Festuca spp.) Meadow-grasses (Poa spp.) Bents (Agrostis spp.). Habitat Requirements This species occurs on grassland where there are fine grasses, especially in dry, well-drained situations where the sward is short and sparse. Populations occur in many other locations including roadside verges, waste ground, woodland rides and glades, moorland, and parkland. Warwickshire Status Resident Where to see the Small Heath Other Species Please select an alternative species from the list below. Bath White Black Hairstreak Black-veined White Brimstone Brown Argus Brown Hairstreak Camberwell Beauty Chalkhill Blue Chequered Skipper Clouded Yellow Comma Common Blue Dappled White Dark Green Fritillary Dingy Skipper Duke of Burgundy Essex Skipper Gatekeeper Geranium Bronze Green Hairstreak Green-veined White Grizzled Skipper High Brown Fritillary Holly Blue Large Skipper Large Tortoiseshell Large White Long-tailed Blue Map Marbled White Marsh Fritillary Mazarine Blue Meadow Brown Orange-tip Painted Lady Pale Clouded Yellow Peacock Pearl-bordered Fritillary Purple Emperor Purple Hairstreak Red Admiral Ringlet Silver-studded Blue Silver-washed Fritillary Small Blue Small Copper Small Heath Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Small Skipper Small Tortoiseshell Small White Speckled Wood Swallowtail Wall Brown White Admiral White-letter Hairstreak Wood White © Debbie Hibbitt First Sightings First sighting dates are based on records of Small Heath submitted online. Please note that these dates are not updated retrospectively to include records submitted to the branch recorder in other forms. 15/05/2010 - Bishops Hill 06/05/2009 - Kingsbury Colliery Spoilheap 13/05/2008 - Lea Marston Lake Old Quarry Site 05/05/2007 - Baddesley Ensor © Steven Cheshire   © Keith Warmington Adult Flight Times The flight chart below is based on observations of the adult Small Heath in Warwickshire between 2005 and 2008. Peak periods are shown in dark green. Warwickshire Distribution Maps base on Vice County (CV38) which includes Coventry and Solihull Distribution of the Small Heath during the indicated period. Key to Warwickshire Maps: sightings 12-910+       2007 Distribution Data (1yr)   2008 available soon   2009 Distribution Data (1yr)   2000-09 Distribution Data (10yr) Regional Distribution of the Small Heath Regional Distribution Map This map provides a regional overview of the distribution of the Small Heath in the counties of Birmingham and Black Country, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Key to West Midlands Maps: Present 1995-2007 Present prior to 1995 The West Midlands Region © Butterfly Conservation WarwickshirePrivacy and Copyright Statement Butterfly Conservation is a non-profit-making company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268)   Web site designed and maintained by Steven Cheshire