Cinnabar moths are on the wing from mid-May to early August, and their yellow and black banded caterpillars munch on Ragwort through the summer. Photo: Amanda Scott

This day-flying moth species is on the wing in June across heathlands on The Lizard. Photo: Sarah Board

This pretty butterfly is not uncommon, but hard to spot as it spends most of its time flying at the tops of oak trees. You might see one in July […]

The Silver-washed Fritillary is the largest of the UK Fritillaries. Look out for it at the height of summer, in July and August. Photo: Ray Surridge

The spectacular Emperor moth is on the wing in April and May.  Photo: Emily Hobson

The delightful Comma butterfly, with its raggedy wings, can be spotted through the summer months and into early autumn. Photo: Dougy Wright

Garden Tiger caterpillars are known as Woolly Bears, for obvious reasons. Photo: Steve Townsend

Late July and early August is the peak time for the chocolate and orange Gatekeeper butterfly. Look out for them round hedgerows and scrubby areas. Photo: Amanda Scott

This lovely Privet Hawkmoth was spotted at Caerthillian, resting on a fence. Photo: Steve Townsend

The sea-cliffs of the south-west, including those of The Lizard, are among the best places to find the Grass Eggar moth, a nationally scarce species. Photo: Wikimedia Commons 

Peacock butterflies emerge into the sunshine from their winter sleep in the spring. Photo: © Natural England/Paul Lacey

Mark Tunmore of Atropos discovered the migrant moth Thysanoplusia daubei (the Boathouse Gem) at Church Cove on the Lizard in 2014 – the first record for Britain!   Photo: Mark Tunmore

Grayling butterflies require plenty of bare earth for basking, so watch out for them in later summer along the trackways of the Lizard Downs. They are on the wing into […]

Small Tortoiseshells usually produce two broods in a year, and so a second-generation of adults emerges in August. Photo: Amanda Scott

The Common Blue is one of the butterflies counted annually in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count. Photo: Amanda Scott

Adult Buff-tips may be experts at disguise, but the brightly coloured caterpillars can’t be missed. Photo: Ben Sale