Law: | Protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. |
Red List status: | Vulnerable |
NERC Act S41: | Species of Principal Importance |
Local status: | Local and rare. Just two areas of population in the county. |
Size: | Small. |
Larval foodplant: | Usually Cowslip. Other primulas also used. |
No. of broods: | One |
Flight time(s): | Late April to early June.
Average first date: 26th April
Average last date: 8th June |
Winter: | Pupa |
Habits: | Males are territorial, perching on scrub and chasing everything that flies into their area. Females are more secretive and skulk around in the undergrowth avoiding the males. |
Habitats: | Currently uses scrubby chalk downland, but has used woodland in the past. They particularly use larval foodplants in the scrub-grass interface. |