June marks the start of meteorological summer as the days grow longer, building toward the solstice on the 21st. This shift in the season brings a change in the diversity of butterflies and moths you can spot within your own local green spaces and across Wiltshire’s wider countryside.

From the brilliant azure of the Adonis Blue to the striking Elephant Hawk Moth, there is a wealth of lepidoptera brilliance to look for. Here are my top five species on the wing this month, with some you can find close to home, and others that may be found in more complex habitats.

1) Elephant Hawk-Moth

A real showstopper! The idea that moths are "drab and boring" is old news—pink is the new fashion, and the Elephant Hawk-Moth pulls it off perfectly. This nocturnal moth is on the wing from May through July and can be found in a variety of habitats, including parks and gardens, where they feed on nectar from plants like Honeysuckle and Red Valerian.

The caterpillars are unmistakable with their large size and conspicuous "eyespots." They feed on plants including Rosebay Willowherb and Lady’s Bedstraw. These moths are attracted to light, so keep an eye on your outside light, or consider using a moth trap for an excellent chance of spotting one.

2) Painted Lady

A long-distance traveller, this butterfly migrates to our shores from Europe, Africa, and beyond. Their numbers fluctuate annually, but this year they have been noticeably abundant—I’ve had one visiting my garden daily for the past week, so it’s a good year to go searching!

A brilliantly coloured butterfly, they feature orange, black, and white patterns on their upper wings, while the undersides are an intricate mix of greys, whites and browns with blue-black "eyespots" on the hindwings. A primary food plant for this species is the thistle. While not exactly a gardener's favourite, even a small "wild corner" left to grow thistles could be vital for supporting this migratory visitor.

3) Adonis Blue

The Adonis Blue is a true icon of Wiltshire’s lowland calcareous grassland, flying over short turf on south-facing slopes, home to their essential food plant: Horseshoe Vetch.

The male’s upper wings are a bright sky-blue, while the females are a more subtle, chocolate brown. Both sexes—particularly the males—can be distinguished from the similar Common Blue by the wing fringes. The Adonis has black lines that cross the white fringes, a key identifying feature. This species is double-brooded, with adults on the wing from mid-May to mid-July, and again from August to September: double the brood, double the chance to spot one!

4) Buff–tip

This is a widespread species with one of the coolest forms of camouflage in the moth world: it perfectly mimics a piece of twig, particularly that of a Silver Birch. Active at night, this species rests by day on twigs and on the ground, its wings held vertical against the body, with both the head and forewing tips matching the pale wood of the birch; the rest of the body perfectly mimicking the mottled grey bark.

This species can be seen throughout the summer, and as a nocturnal species, also comes to light. The caterpillars of this species feed on a range of deciduous trees, including Birches, Sallows, and Oaks.

5) Marbled White

The final addition to the top five is a beauty. The Marbled White is unmistakable with its black and white chequered patterning. A common and widespread species in Wiltshire, it is synonymous with unimproved grasslands and habitats with tall grasses, such as Yorkshire Fog and various fescue species.

They prefer areas where the vegetation is left ungrazed or is not frequently cut. You can find them on the wing from now until mid-August, making this the perfect time to get outside and see if you can spot one!

What will you find?

There are so many species to discover as we push through the summer that I couldn't possibly include them all here. Wiltshire Butterfly Conservation offers a wealth of information regarding flight times, food plants, and local hotspots for sightings.

I’ve already been out surveying and have seen several of the species listed above. The only question remaining is: what can you find this June?

Be sure to record your findings and report them to the local recorders; you can do this via iRecord. Every bit of information helps to better understand population distributions and ecological health, allowing for better management strategies so that we can keep our county rich with butterflies and moths for years to come.