Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

🦋 Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

The Common Brimstone is a large, lemon-yellow butterfly that’s often one of the first to be seen in spring in Europe. Belonging to the Pieridae family, it is well known for its long lifespan and leaf-like wing shape, which gives it excellent camouflage when at rest.

🔍 Identification

• Wingspan: 60–74 mm
• Males: Bright sulphur-yellow upperwings
• Females: Much paler, almost white with a greenish tint
• Both sexes: Have a small orange spot in the center of each wing
• Wing Shape: Distinctive leaf-like with pointed tips and veined texture—perfect for camouflage among foliage

🌍 Distribution & Habitat

• Range:
  • Found across Europe, North Africa, and temperate Asia
  • Common in the UK, central and southern Europe
• Habitat:
  • Prefers woodland edges, hedgerows, gardens, and meadows
  • Especially associated with Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), which are the host plants for its larvae

🍽️ Diet

• Adults: Feed on nectar from a variety of flowers including:
  • Primroses
  • Dandelions
  • Thistles
  • Buddleia
• Caterpillars: Eat leaves of Buckthorn species

🐣 Life Cycle

• One generation per year
• Eggs: Laid singly on buckthorn leaves
• Caterpillars: Green and well-camouflaged; feed for about a month before pupating
• Pupa: Green and attached to a plant stem or leaf
• Adults: Can live up to 13 months, making them among the longest-lived European butterflies
  • Hibernate over winter in dense vegetation or ivy
  • Emerge on warm days in early spring

🌟 Behavior

• Flight Period:
  • Most visible from March to September
  • Overwintered adults are first seen in early spring
• Flight Style:
  • Strong, gliding flight
  • Males often patrol areas in search of females
• Camouflage:
  • Wing shape and green-yellow color allow perfect disguise when resting among leaves

✅ Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• Population trend: Stable
• Considered a common and widespread species in most of its range

📌 Summary

The Common Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) is not only a harbinger of spring but also a master of disguise. Its vivid yellow wings and long lifespan make it a favorite among butterfly watchers. Strong-flying and widely distributed, it thrives where buckthorn is present and adds a bright flash of color to woodlands and gardens across Europe.

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