Marbled white
Though patterned like a checkerboard, it is genetically closer to the satyrid "browns" than to any true white butterfly.
| Where | Chalk grassland, hay meadows and roadside verges |
|---|---|
| Size | 53 to 58 mm wingspan |
| When | June to August |
Both wings show a bold black and white checkerboard pattern; on the underside the black is replaced by grey-green, giving a softer look.
Caterpillars hatch in late summer and go dormant through winter without feeding, resuming growth on wild grasses the following spring.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Black, White
Active
Day
To people
Harmless
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Esper's marbled white shows solid brick-like bands across the whole hindwing underside, while the marbled white's markings are reduced to a single row near the cell end.
Questions
Is the Marbled white dangerous to people?
The Marbled white is harmless to people.
When can you see the Marbled white?
The Marbled white can be seen from June to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Didier Descouens, CC BY‑SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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Butterflies and moths›Brush-footed butterflies›Melanargia
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.