This marker on the Cambridge Butterfly Trail is at Grantchester Meadows – see the map above.

The Ringlet butterfly is a common sight across much of the UK from late June to August. It is easily identified by its velvety dark brown wings, each marked with a row of pale-rimmed eye spots and edged with a fine white fringe.

Preferring damp, grassy habitats such as woodland edges, rides, hedgerows and meadows, the ringlet is unusual in its ability to fly in dull, overcast weather when many other butterflies remain inactive.

Its caterpillars feed on a range of grasses including cock’s-foot, false brome and tufted hair-grass.

While the species has expanded its range in recent decades, particularly northwards, this apparent success should not be taken as a sign of healthy ecosystems. According to Butterfly Conservation and The Wildlife Trusts, changes in grassland management and habitat fragmentation still pose long-term risks, highlighting the need for careful habitat stewardship even for widespread species like the Ringlet.

For more information, please visit Butterfly Conservation’s page on this species – Ringlet.