Grayling Butterfly Hipparchia semele

This cleverly camouflaged butterfly can be spotted around coastal areas or grasslands, between mid July to mid September.

Conservation status in Norfolk

Graylings have declined nationally but numbers in Norfolk appear to have been stable since the 1980s. The large loss of inland heath habitats in Norfolk must however have markedly reduced its historic numbers and range. Today it is localised with a very patchy distribution

Click to see the Biodiversity Action Plan Species for this species

How to help

Support conservation bodies involved with heathland creation and management. Maintaining grazing, whether by rabbits or livestock, which helps create the bare ground favoured by this species is important to protect existing colonies

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Wildstock

Information on the Grayling Butterfly

How to recognise

The grayling can be difficult to spot as the patterns of brown and grey on its wings are superb camouflage and its habit of settling with wings closed often hiding the orange area containing two black eyespots on the forewing. With a close view the grey lines and markings which form a zigzag pattern on the closed hind-wing and its habit of resting with the body and wings at an angle to the ground are distinctive.

Where to see

In Norfolk look for this butterfly in coastal areas such as dunes, salt marshes and cliffs. It can also be found on heathlands and less commonly on calcareous grasslands such as those in the Brecks. The sites favoured nearly always include bare or stony ground. Good sites for this butterfly include Holkham NNR on coastal duneland and heathlands including NWT Weeting Heath and NWT Roydon Common.

When to see

The best time for adult butterflies is from mid July to mid September

Did you know?

Grayling caterpillars feed at night on grasses. Before they are fully developed they hibernate in tussocky grass and emerge the following spring to start feeding again.

Finding out more

Butterfly Conservation

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