Small heath butterfly  (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The small heath is amongst the smallest of the butterflies found in the UK. It has pale orange upperwings bordered with brown and with brown veins radiating out from the point where the wing is joined to the thorax. There is also a small brown ‘eye’ on the top of the forewing. The underside of the wings differ in that the hindwing is largely grey with a prominent white flash across the middle. The underside of the forewing is similar to the upperside, complete with the ‘eye’ spot, the main difference being that the spot is fringed with yellow.

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