Insect · GBIF taxon 1920712
Common Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamniAlso known as Brimstone
Common brimstones are famous for their leaf-mimicking wing shape, featuring pointed tips and delicate veining that allow them to blend seamlessly into foliage. Males display a brilliant butter-yellow hue while females are pale, greenish-white, often mistaken for cabbage whites. Adults can live up to a full year, spending the cold winter months hibernating under ivy leaves or dense evergreen brambles before emerging on the earliest sunny days of spring.
OverwinteringLeaf-mimicSpring Emergent
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Nectar from knapweed and bramble
- Nectar from dandelion and primrose
- Leaves of buckthorn shrubs (larval)
Predators
- Songbirds
- Spiders
- Small rodents
ThreatsRemoval of native buckthorn shrubs and loss of undisturbed hedgerows
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, scrublands, hedgerows, damp clearings, and suburban gardens
Life spanUp to 12 months as an adult
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyPieridae
- GenusGonepteryx
- SpeciesGonepteryx rhamni
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spring Patrols: Look for vibrant yellow males searching for mates along sunny forest edges as early as March.
- Garden Planting: Establish buckthorn shrubs in sunny borders to encourage breeding females to lay eggs.
- Winter Care: Avoid clearing dense ivy groundcover or evergreen hedges where dormant adults rest through winter.
Host Plant (c) Robert Flogaus-Faust, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Host Plant (c) Sten Porse, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Visual Look-alike (c) Tommy Andriollo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Anna C · cc0
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Mystic Meadows
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