Brown pansy
This butterfly holds a patch of ground like a small territory, chasing off rivals and returning to the same sunlit perch again and again.
| Where | Grassland, forest edges and gardens |
|---|---|
| Size | 50 to 60 mm wingspan |
| When | January to December |
The Brown Pansy is an orangy brown butterfly with darker crossbands and a row of reddish brown eyespots along the hindwing margin. The underside is duller brown with continuous dark stripes and a large pale spot on the hindwing.
Caterpillars feed on low weedy plants in the Acanthaceae family, and adults glide close to the ground, often basking with wings spread wide on sunny perches within gardens, parks and open grassy ground.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Brown, Orange, White
Active
Day
To people
Often seen basking with wings open in parks and gardens; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Pale lavender grey overall rather than orangy brown, without the row of bold reddish brown eyespots along the hindwing margin.
Questions
Is the Brown pansy dangerous to people?
Often seen basking with wings open in parks and gardens; harmless to people.
When can you see the Brown pansy?
The Brown pansy can be seen from January to December, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Swiss Natural History Collections - SwissNatColl, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Brush-footed butterflies›Junonia
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.