From a small tortoiseshell sunning its wings on a garden buddleia, to a dark green fritillary soaring over grassland, butterflies add colour to wherever they live.
Scotland is home to more than half of Britain’s species of the insect, with several found in greater numbers than anywhere else in the UK.
Several others are migratory visitors, for instance the suphur flashes of the clouded yellow and the brimstone are occasionally seen in Scotland, but to be considered native a butterfly must regularly breed in its home country.
They all have fascinating life cycles, starting life as tiny eggs that hatch into ravenous caterpillars, eventually pupating and emerging as adults – one of the great transformative miracles of the natural world.
But it’s amazing how few butterflies the average Scot can identify, aside from the usual ‘cabbage whites’ and red admirals.
So, here are all the species to be found, along with where and when you can see them. How many can you spot in 2025?
33. Large Skipper
Another butterfly easy to confuse with the small (or Essex) skipper, the large skipper is (very slightly) bigger and has a chequered pattern on its wings (although not as chequered as the chequered skipper!). It's found in damp grassy areas of southern Scotland and flies from June to August. | Canva/Getty Images
34. Dingy Skipper
Very rare in Scotland, there are only a few dingy skipper colonies scattered around Loch Ness, the Moray Firth, Strathspey and the south west. Keep an eye out on bare sunny ground near forest in May and June. | Canva/Getty Images
35. Chequered Skipper
Officially extinct in England since 1976, Scotland is the only place in the UK where you can see the Chequered Skipper butterfly. One of the best locations to see the pretty insects is the Allt Mhuic butterfly reserve, 20 miles north of Fort William, which features the grassland habitat favoured by the species. They only fly for a short period of time. from late May to the middle of June. | Canva/Getty Images