Wood White

Scientific Name - Leptidea sinapis

Flight Period - May to August (occasional second brood)

Overwinters as - Pupa

Habitat - Woodland rides and clearings

Larval foodplants - Meadow Vetchling, Tufted Vetch, Bitter Vetch

Conservation status - Section 41 NERC species of principle importance, UK BAP Priority Species

Northamptonshire distribution - Localised

Best public sites to see them - Bucknell Wood, Hazelborough Forest and Salcey Forest

We are very lucky here in Northamptonshire to play host to several colonies of the nationally rare Wood White. Although some of the populations are in private woodlands there are a few public sites where they can fly in good numbers, namely Bucknell Wood, Hazelborough Forest and Wood and Salcey Forest. The Wood Whites emerge in May and reach their peak in early June. In most years there is also a second brood in August, but these are seen in considerably fewer numbers than the first. This is a butterfly of woodland rides and clearings, and it is not unusual to look down a ride and see several flying at once. Don’t let their delicate flight fool you though as they are remarkably strong flyers and wandering adults have been seen quite far from their normal strongholds. They have a fascinating courtship where the male positions himself opposite the female and flicks her on either side of her body with his antennae while simultaneously flashing open his wings.

Wood White Distribution 2018 - 2022

Wood White

Wood White courtship

A typical ride used by Wood Whites, in this case in Bucknell Wood

Viewing Wood Whites with the sun behind them can be useful when looking for the wing markings

Wood White egg