Welcome to the final edition of my 30 Days Wild T5F series – June has been full of wild encounters and adventures both big and small and it has got us in the habit of finding time every day to appreciate the natural world around us. Even if that means just sitting and listening to the birds outside for five minutes at the end of a busy day.

This week I’m bringing you MY TOP 5 BRITISH BUTTERFLIES.

I was hoping to have more of my own photographs for this post by the end of the month but the butterflies all seem to be late out this year so I didn’t get the chance to take many.

5. Swallowtail Butterfly

The Swallowtail is Britain’s largest butterfly and I must confess that, actually, the only time I have seen one of these in the wild was in Spain and not Britain. They are fabulous though and so distinctive.

To read more about them, check out the Butterfly Conservation page about them here.

4. Speckled Wood

This one I came close to photographing myself. I chased one for ten minutes yesterday but all I ended up with was several photographs of nettles.

At first glance this is a fairly plain butterfly but despite its brown-ness, I think they are very pretty in an understated sort of way. Proof that you don’t need to be big or rainbow coloured to be in the pretty party!

Find out more here.

3. The Silver-Studded Blue

Okay, this one is my picture from this month! A new edition to my favourites list after spotting them at a local nature reserve, these guys fluttering together in tiny clouds were just fascinating to watch and so tiny and delicate.

More information about the Silver-Studded Blues can be found here and more information about Prees Green Common, the reserve I saw them on, can be found here.

2. Red Admiral

There’s just something regal and elegant about these guys that gives me a thrill every time I see them. I am hoping we will get them in our garden when the buddleias start flowering!

Not an unusual sight, but one that brings me joy – learn more about them here.

1. Comma

It probably surprises nobody that my favourite butterfly is named after a  punctuation mark, but I just adore these little butterflies so much. From their raggedy shaped wings to their glorious orange-gold-brown colours, they have always been a favourite spot.

One flew down and landed outside the window of the hospital and sat there for ages on the day Tori was born, after everyone had gone home and I felt so at peace, with my new sleeping baby on one side and my favourite butterfly resting on the other.

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What’s your favourite butterfly? I think I might extend 30 Days Wild to next week and do my favourite moths as well, do you have a favourite moth?!