---
title: "Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) · Rampant Scotland"
description: "Graphic via Wikimedia Although the Brimstone has been seen in the Scottish Borders, it is mainly to be found in England and Wales. The Brimstone appears in earl"
canonical: "https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/butterflies/butterfly_brimstone.htm"
last-updated: "2026-11-11"
date-basis: "git-content-change"
---

# Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) · Rampant Scotland

Butterflies of Scotland

# Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

[Original page](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710070145/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/butterfly_brimstone.htm)

Restored from the raw archived page capture: original scripts, advertisements and shared site navigation removed. Original wording, photographs and layout order preserved.

Graphic via [Wikimedia](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

>

Although the Brimstone has been seen in the Scottish Borders, it is mainly to be found in England and Wales. The Brimstone appears in early spring after hibernating through the winter but can be seen throughout the summer, through to November. The wings provide camouflage as they look very much like leaves. The male Brimstone has yellow-green underwings and yellow upperwings while females have pale yellow-green wings. Despite Brimstone relating to the colour of sulphur, it has been suggested that the term "Butterfly" was first applied to the butter yellow Brimstone and eventually became applied to all species. The Brimstone, feeds on buckthorn and alder buckthorn. When they stop to feed, they always keep their wings shut.

**Return to the Butterfly [Index](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710070145/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/index.htm)

or go to the next Butterfly: [Clouded Yellow](https://rampant-scotland.pages.dev/butterflies/butterfly_clouded_yellow.htm)**.

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## Source

From Rampant Scotland, restored from the page as it stood on 10 July 2020. [Original page](https://web.archive.org/web/20200710070145/http://www.rampantscotland.com:80/butterflies/butterfly_brimstone.htm).

Links to pages not yet restored here lead to the original page or elsewhere on the web; 1 of 3 links on this page are restored on this site.