Black and white butterflies
By Charlotte Owen
WildCall Officer
Some of our most beautiful butterflies are the least colourful. Shying away from the garish yellow of the Brimstone and the exuberant red of the Peacock, the whites have chosen a sleek, minimalist look.
Among the commonest is the ubiquitous Cabbage White – a title applied interchangeably to the closely related, yet subtly different, Large White and Small White. Size is often the best way to tell them apart and the Large White is a much stronger flyer. Its bright white wings are tipped with black and, in the female, finished with two dark spots, whereas the Small White’s markings are paler. Their hungry caterpillars do indeed feast on cabbages – and sprouts, broccoli, radishes and rocket - earning them a terrible reputation among gardeners and allotment-holders. Of course, the butterflies existed long before we cultivated their beloved brassicas, and they will also lay their eggs on garlic mustard, wild mignonette and sea kale along the coast.
Often tarred with the same brush but completely innocent of the Cabbage Whites’ crimes is the Green-veined White. This really is a subtly beautiful butterfly, with delicate dark lines tracing its white forewings and distinctive green veins on the undersides. These are best displayed while at rest, although the green colour is an optical illusion created by black scales atop a creamy yellow background. This species prefers damp meadows and woodland rides where females seek out cuckooflower, hedge mustard and watercress.
Not every white butterfly is so subtle, and the unmistakeable Marbled White sports a flamboyant chequerboard pattern. Somewhat surprisingly, it belongs to the ‘browns’ rather than the ‘whites’ and is related to the Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Meadow Brown. It shares their love of flowery grassland and has a preference for purple, from thistles and knapweeds to field scabious and wild marjoram.
But the grandest of all must be the White Admiral, whose black velvet wings are boldly striped with white. This high-flying woodland butterfly glides gracefully around the canopy, occasionally swooping down to nectar on bramble blossom or lay eggs on honeysuckle. When settled, it offers a glimpse of the spectacular orange and white underwings that truly set this aristocrat apart.
Comments
I saw a white admiral for the first time a few weeks ago. I didn’t know the name, thank you for the information
03 Aug 2021 21:19:00
17th June 2022: A few minutes ago in 80F heat a large completely black butterfly came to the closed patio door at three 3 different times. I presume it wasn’t a moth. I understand they are rare in the UK – is that so? And does it mean my death is not far off?
17 Jun 2022 12:00:00
Thanks to your identification guide spotted a few marbled white in panshanger park Herts yesterday 28 june
29 Jun 2022 06:00:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Great to hear!
I have just seen this black and white butterfly in my garden in South Oxfordshire. In 20 years I have never seen one like this.
09 Jul 2022 16:00:00
On the 1066 Country Walk between Crowhurst and Battle on June 29th a black/white butterfly landed in front of me on path. Not having seen one before I now know it was a White Admiral.
10 Jul 2022 21:14:00
One of these landed on my foot today and showed itself off wonderfully. The under wings were stunning. Thanks for helping me identify it. I live in Forest Row Sussex and am a member of the Sx Wildlife Trust.
11 Jul 2022 20:47:00
Saw a marbled white at Riverside in Newhaven yesterday, 14 July.
15 Jul 2022 14:43:00
We had this butterfly in our garden this morning ,landed on my dress , denmead Waterlooville
18 Jul 2022 09:32:00
Saw a strange butterfly today, a bit like the cabbage white but many more black spots than normal. Is this common. Sorry no photo it took off to quickly.
18 Jul 2022 17:19:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Maybe a Marbled White butterfly or Jersey Tiger moth?
I saw what looked like this butterfly in Northamptonshire at the weekend but it didn’t have orange underwings. When the wings were shut they were the same black and white markings as the top. Any ideas? Not seen one before
29 Jun 2023 05:34:00
I saw what looked like this butterfly in Northamptonshire at the weekend but it didn’t have orange underwings. When the wings were shut they were the same black and white markings as the top. Any ideas? Not seen one before
29 Jun 2023 08:08:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
If you saw the butterfly in a woodland, then likely to be White Admiral, if pattern is the same, although not black on underside. See website for more photos. Possibly a Purple Emperor has similar markings and is of a similar size, but that also has a brown and white underside, and is quite rare.
I don’t know if you are counting but I’ve just seen my first ever White Admiral butterfly
West Sussex, came into my garden room but happily I got it safely out into the garden again.
Assume it’s really rare?
18 Jun 2025 13:32:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
That's great! This species is widely-distributed in the woods of Wealden Sussex, where the foodplant of its caterpillars Honeysuckle, is common.
I don’t know if you are counting but I’ve just seen my first ever White Admiral butterfly
West Sussex, came into my garden room but happily I got it safely out into the garden again.
Assume it’s really rare?
18 Jun 2025 14:54:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
That's fantastic Catriona. White Admirals are quite localised in Sussex, but doing well in woodlands where there is plenty of Honeysuckle for the caterpillars. They do stray into gardens from time to time. Perhaps you'll see it again, hopefully outside next time!
Spotted White Admiral north of the Dover in Angmering Park.
22 Jun 2025 09:13:00
Just had one in my garden – never seen one before. Unfortunately couldn’t get a photograph. Hopefully it’ll teturn
29 Jun 2025 14:40:00
Inside my bedroom window! Not seen before. We do have bramble fliers 100 yards away just flew as I tried to snap home!
02 Jul 2025 13:46:00
Saw this black and white butterfly in a park adjacent to Binley Woods Coventry U.K.
I now know what it is, thank you.
03 Jul 2025 08:56:00
Just seen two white admiral butterflies in our meadow at Brooke this morning
11 Jul 2025 10:37:00