Butterflies / Priddy Mineries

Priddy Butterfly Safari

by Jeff Bevan · Published 23rd June 2022 · Updated 12th August 2022

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_6998

It had been a while since I visited Priddy Mineries in the Mendip Hills of Somerset. Then I mainly focused (literally) on dragonflies around the Waldegrave Pond. So this summer I spent of couple of days photographing its butterflies.

I read a few websites that listed the target species to read. This included:

Small Heath
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Dark Green Fritillary
Chimney Sweeper moths
Large Skipper
Small Copper
Common Blue
Dingy Skipper
Green Hairstreak
Marsh Fritillary
Six-spot Burnet
Mother Shipton

Of course, not all of these are flying about at the same time of year, but I wanted to photograph as many as I could.

Small Heath

These are easy to find on the mineries. They flutter about close to the ground. They rarely open their wings when resting, instead they flop other to one side. This can make them tricky to photograph – it all depends on which way they flop.

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_92396

Two of my favourite things – a small heath and a dandelion.

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9289

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary

I have already posted on these fritillaries. There is a patch on the mineries where these small butterflies can be found.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_6631

Dark Green Fritillary

I missed out on these larger fritillaries. Not surprising as it it unlikely that they will be flying until August.

Skippers

Everyone’s favourite. Dashing around all over the place close to the ground amongst the grasses and brambles.

Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) – Waldegrave, Somerset, UK. ID JB3_7389

Dingy Skipper

This one was a long shot. But by pure luck it was one of the first butterflies I saw. It is easy to overlook these small brown butterflies but calling them dingy is a bit harsh.

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_5734

Green Hairstreak

Another small butterfly found sitting on bramble leaves.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) – Priddy Mineries, Somerset, UK. ID 803_2250

Marsh Fritillary

I did not expect to find one of these. I was speaking to some fellow butterfly hunters, they had seen a small pearl down the main path. I went for a look only to find a marsh fritillary sitting in a buttercup.

Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) – Priddy Mineries, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_5752

Small Copper

I have been struggling to find small coppers this year. I’m not sure if it just me, or if they are having a hard time this year. So this is one I saw at Priddy Mineries back in 2014.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) – Priddy Mineries, Somerset, ID 803_1810

Common Blue

Missed out on this one too. Perhaps the first brood of the year is over and the second is yet to star.

Burnet Moths

I saw some of these moths but did not get any pictures that I liked, so this is another older picture. I liked this image as the two burnets are mating immediately after emerging from their cocoons.

Five-spot Burnet (Zygaena trifolii) – Priddy Mineries, Somerset, UK. ID JB4_5778

Chimney Sweeper

A saw several of these little moths, but getting close was impossible. I was running around for some time before I managed to get this distant picture.