Speckled Wood butterfly
August 2018
One of the regular visitors to the Green is the Speckled Wood butterfly. It is a real survivor and has regained much of the range it lost in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and can now be found in most of England and Wales. It's also unique among British butterflies in being able to hibernate as both a caterpillar and as a chrysalis. As its name suggests, it is an insect that likes the dappled shade of woodland. You can often find them at the top of the Green near the Donkey Steps entrance and along the top boundary. Although they fly for 8 months of the year, they are at their peak in August, so now is a good time to spot them.