Description
The Small Heath rarely settles more than a meter above ground. They are most often seen flying low to the ground among grass in sunshine. It always settles with Its wings closed as shown in the photo right. Adult butterflies may be seen continuously from late April to September on some sites in southern England but numbers peak throughout the UK in July and August.
The Small Heath is a Priority Species for conservation due to the continued loss of habitat and resulting drop in population. |
Habitat
This species occurs on grassland where there are fine grasses especially in dry well-drained situations where the sward is short and sparse. The largest colonies occur on downland, heathland, and coastal dunes. Smaller populations occur in many other locations including roadside verges, waste ground, woodland rides and glades, moorland, and parkland. |
Distribution
This Small Heath is a fairly widespread butterfly which occurs in a wide range of habitat types. Its range has changed little but many colonies have disappeared in recent decades due to loss of habitat through road building large scale housing and industrial developments. |
Where to see the Small Heath in the British Isles
This Small Heath is a fairly widespread butterfly which occurs in a wide range of habitat types. Its range has changed little but many colonies have disappeared in recent decades due to loss of habitat through road building large scale housing and industrial developments. |
Lifecycle chart
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Flight chart
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| The lifecycle and flight charts should be regarded as approximate guides to the Small Heath in Britain. Specific lifecycle states, adult emergence and peak flight times vary from year to year due to variations in weather conditions. |
| IUCN category status 2010 5 |
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IUCN category status 2007 34 |
 --awaiting data--
5Fox, R., Warren, M., Brereton, T. M., Roy, D. B. & Robinson, A.
(2010) A new Red List of British Butterflies. Insect Conservation and Diversity.
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 Near Threatened
3Fox, R., Warren, M & Brereton, T.
(2007) New Red List of British Butterflies. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham.
4More information about IUCN categories. |
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Wingspan
33-37mm |
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UK status
Resident |
Larval foodplants
The larvae of the Small Heath feed on a wide variety of fine grasses especially fescues (Festuca spp.) meadow-grasses (Poa spp.), and bents (Agrostis spp.). |
British subspecies
 Coenonympha pamphilus ssp. pamphilus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Occurs in England, Ireland, Scotland (except the Isle of Rum) and Wales.
Coenonympha pamphilus ssp. rhoumensis (Harrison, 1948)
Confined to the Isle of Rum, Scotland.
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Butterflies of Britain ID Chart
Your personal guide to British Butterflies. This 8-panel laminated chart is designed for speedy butterfly identification in the field. Ideal for anyone interested in identifying butterflies, perfect for children and adults and ideal for outdoor use, laminated, shower-proof and robust. |
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Online store
Visit our online store for many more butterfly related books and gifts. |
Population trends 1
UK Population trend 1995-2004  down by -29%
UK Population trend 1976-2004 down by -52%
1Fox, R., Asher. J., Brereton. T., Roy, D & Warren, M. (2006) The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland, Pices, Oxford. |
UK BAP status 2
UK BAP status candidate priority species (link)
2For information about the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, visit the JNCC web site jncc.defra.gov.uk. |
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and 
indicate a contraction in distribution of the 
outside the natural distribution may be the result of illegal or accidental releases by breeders or, depending upon the species, migrant individuals from mainland Europe.
