Pictured: Camberwell beauty, Nymphalis antiopa
Notes from Jenyns: Inserted as a native of Cambridgeshire on the authority of Stephens ~ (See Illus. l. c.). It is worthy of note, that a few years back an old faded specimen of this Insect was found by Professor Henslow in the Woodwardian Museum at Cambridge, which is with some reason presumed to have been formerly taken in the neighbourhood of that place, ~ since at that time no collection of Insects existed there. ~ This species was also supposed to have been seen on wing~ in a garden at Ely,~ some years back~ in the month of August. ~
200-year trend in Cambridgeshire: Little change.
Modern records
This species is a rare migrant to the UK but like all of our migrant butterflies, occasional large influx years do occur. Several of these took place during Jenyns’ lifetime, but his vague notes about individual specimens more closely reflect what would be expected from a migrant butterfly that was only seen very occasionally. This and other records suggest the Camberwell beauty was historically rare in the UK, and Cambridgeshire specifically, with the same being true today.
National records map
Camberwell beauty national records map: https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NHMSYS0000516570
