The Brimstone is distributed throughout most of England except the far north, is sparse in Wales and Ireland and is absent from Scotland. It is also found in most of Europe, Asia and north Africa.
Adults emerge from early July onwards and this one generation hibernates over winter and mates in the spring. Eggs are laid only on Buckthorn bushes in May and June with caterpillars emerging in June and July with the chrysalis forming in July and August.
Photo 1 shows a male and photo 2 shows the paler female. Both sexes always rest with the wings closed looking remarkably like a leaf.
There is an excellent page on this species at UK Butterflies.
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