The Meadow Brown butterfly – Maniola jurtina

The medium-sized meadow brown is one of the commonest grassland butterflies, and can be seen in the summer, from June to September. It also occurs in parks, gardens and cemeteries. It even flies in dull weather when other butterflies are inactive. Adults can be seen in large numbers, flying low over the grass and flowers. The meadow brown is mainly brown with washed-out orange patches on the forewings. The best way to identify the ‘brown’ butterflies is by looking at the eyespots on their wings. The combination of its relatively large size, orange patches on the forewings only, one eyespot on the forewing and none at all on the hindwings, is unique to the meadow brown.

Individual butterflies live from around 5 to 21 days.

Males are much more active than females, spending their time patrolling and investigating other butterflies that come near their perches. Unless feeding or egg-laying, females spend much of their time sat on the ground, hidden among the grass. The Meadow Brown may be seen in almost any habitat and although it is associated with meadows it is also a woodland butterfly. The Meadow Brown favours wild grasses with patches of rough, uncut grassland up to c50cm height. A wide variety of grass species are used as food with a preference for medium to fine-leaved species. Also found on brownfield sites, along woodland rides and edges, in parks and cemeteries, sheltered moorland areas, coastal cliffs and sand dunes, and in gardens .

Butterflies primarily drink Flower nectar through their straw like proboscis 

Females usually mate on first day of emergence, courtship being short, with few preliminaries. Brown larvae hatch after about two weeks, and eat their eggshells. They turn green soon after starting to eat grass. Larvae are not thought to hibernate in the full sense of the word, remaining active, and feeding by day. Pupation usually takes place by early Jun, with the pupa suspended on a grass stem or leaf blade. Emergence is weather dependent, usually earlier in the warmer parts of spring and summer. Individual butterflies live from around 5 to 21 days. 

The Meadow Brown was once viewed as a spy for the devil himself.

Being a brown butterfly, the Meadow Brown is good at absorbing heat, which is a useful adaptation in a northern climate. As a result it may still fly when it is cloudy and even slightly damp. In cool sunny conditions it may lean over on a patch of bare ground to present a closed-wing view to the sun to absorb its heat. When the Meadow Brown is hot enough it will face the sun with wings closed to reduce absorption.

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