Holly Blues (Celastrina argiolus) are one of twenty species from the Lycaenidae family that can be found in the UK. It's upper wings are sky-blue and it can be distinguished from the similar Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) by the underside of the wings, which are silvery-grey with small black spots in the Holly Blue. Its caterpillars feed on Ivy and Dogwood in our garden, but Holly is also a very important host plant.

The Scarlet Tiger (Callimorpha dominula) is one of the strongest presences in the garden. Its bright hairy caterpillars emerge from hibernation in early spring and feed on the Comfrey and Blackberry. Unlike most caterpillars that try to be inconspicuous, camouflaging themselves or hiding on the underside of leaves, the Scarlet Tigers are so confident in their distastefulness that they sit out boldly out right out in the open. 

The Brown Hairstreak is a nationally scarce butterfly whose caterpillars feed on the young leaves of Blackthorn and occasionally other plum species. The adult butterflies feed on the sugary secretions of aphids, called 'honeydew' as well as the nectar of Blackberry blossoms. in our garden, we recorded them laying laid their eggs on the branches of a young wild plum tree.