Meadow Brown - Maniola jurtina - male (top row) - female (middle & bottom rows). Wingspan 50mm. Britain’s most familiar and widespread grassland butte

Meadow Brown - Maniola jurtina - male (top row) - female (middle & bottom rows). Wingspan 50mm. Britain’s most familiar and widespread grassland butterfly. Adult has brown upperwings; male has a small orange patch on the forewing containing eyespot; orange patch is larger in female. Underside of hindwing is brown with a grey-brown band; forewing is orange and buff with an eyespot. Flies June-Aug. Larva feeds on grasses and is nocturnal. Generally common throughout the region but least so in northern Scotland and Ireland. Favours a wide range of grassland habitats.