Brimstone Butterfly

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Brimstone Butterfly

The Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) is one of our most recognisable butterflies; the male has the yellow wings and the female has pale green wings. It is thought that the word butterfly originates from the yellow colour of the brimstone.

It is the longest living butterfly and can be seen in every month of the year if the weather is suitable. There has been a big increase and distribution of the species, through the planting of buckthorn and alder buckthorn which are the caterpillar’s food plant.

Credit: Information and photo kindly supplied by Peter Dowse of Bollington, Cheshire.