Comma Butterfly (polygonia c-album)

This beautiful orange and black butterfly takes its name from the white, comma–shaped mark on its underwing.  It is easy to identify thanks to the scalloped edges of its wings, although sometimes this can make it look a bit ragged. Commas hibernate and use their brown, leaf-like underwing as camouflage. Its caterpillars are black and brown, with a thick white stripe along its back. It is thought that this is to camouflage them as bird droppings! The caterpillars are also very spikey.

Its favourite habitats are woodland clearings and gardens. The caterpillars love nettles and the butterflies love the juice of blackberries and blackcurrants.

In terms of the UK, the comma butterfly is becoming more widespread, thanks, it is believed, to global warming. Previously it was only found in southern England and Wales, whereas it is now becoming more prevalent in northern England and is spreading into Scotland.