Return to moorhen home page

Return to section index


Image-of-the-Day by Subject


Butterflies Page 19

Image Taken on 30 Apr 2022 at 16:27    Image of day on 08 Jun 2022

This has been a great year for seeing Orange-tip butterflies, possible because the area is now 'infested' with Garlic Mustard 'weeds'. Garlic Mustard is the caterpillars food plant (so where the females lay their eggs) but they also feed on the flowers as well as those of Dandelions and most other flowers.
This pic catches the insects proboscis curving round into a flower, and also shows the very different top and bottom of the wing. The green tracery on the bottom of the wing is absolutely beautiful, and provides good camouflage when resting in foliage with the wings closed upwards.


Ref: 20220608_df3_20220430_1627_056 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on garlic mustard flower - both sides of wing showing (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 08 May 2024 at 12:58    Image of day on 27 May 2024

This backlit image of a Orange-tip Butterfly shows the green and white pattern area directly (lower right of the wings) while the sun shines through the other rear wing to make a hazy image on the normally white surface.


Ref: 20240527_df3_20240508_1258_483 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on garlic mustard with various views of wing patterns(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 06 May 2022 at 13:31    Image of day on 13 Jun 2022

An Orange-tip Butterfly feeding of the (blue!) flowers of Green Alkanet. The insects Proboscis extends right to left from the insects head, down the edge of the petal and then into the flower.
Enjoy the intricate green on white pattern on the lower surface of the wings.


Ref: 20220613_df3_20220506_1331_200 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on green alkanet flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Apr 2017 at 13:32    Image of day on 13 Jun 2017

An orange-tip butterfly with its uncurled figure-of-eight proboscis down in the nectar of the Green Alkanet flower.


Ref: 20170613_df3_20170423_1332_009 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on green alkanet flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 14 May 2019 at 17:34    Image of day on 17 Jun 2019

Orange-tip butterflies often feed on Garlic Mustard flowers - the same plants on which the females lay their eggs, but for 'fuelling' purposes Orange-tip Butterflies will use any suitable source of nectar - here the flower of the 'dreaded' Ground Ivy.


Ref: 20190617_df5_20190514_1734_021 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ground ivy flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Apr 2019 at 11:18    Image of day on 18 May 2019

The caterpillar food plant of Orange-tip Butterflies is Garlic Mustard, and we have managed to allow quite a lot of this to grow. So this year we are seeing more than our usual '1 or 2' adults. Although the females lay on garlic Mustard, the adults will sip nectar from other flowers, and this Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) is one of their favourites. Notice the proboscis curved round into the flower.


Ref: 20190518_df5_20190420_1118_010 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 18 Apr 2023 at 10:53    Image of day on 01 Jun 2023

An Orange-tip butterfly feeding on Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) flowers. Only the male has the orange tip to the white top of the wing. Both sexes share the intricate green and white pattern on the underside of all 4 wings. An absolute delight!


Ref: 20230601_df3_20230418_1053_032 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) 1 of 2 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 07 May 2021 at 10:14    Image of day on 08 Jun 2021

The Orange-tip butterflies are still enjoying the Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower). Garlic Mustard is starting to flower - the females will need this for laying their eggs.


Ref: 20210608_df3_20210507_1014_091 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Apr 2021 at 13:41    Image of day on 12 May 2021

A male Orange-tip Butterfly feeding on Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower).
The pattern at the tops of the orange patch seem to be atypically dark.


Ref: 20210512_df3_20210417_1341_084 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 30 May 2021 at 15:55    Image of day on 25 Jun 2021

The Orange-tip butterflies seem to have been around FAR longer than usual. Normally for 2 or 3 weeks. Our first record is 17 April 2021, so we have been seeing them for 6 weeks. They don't even look 'tatty'.


Ref: 20210625_d73_20210530_1555_068 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on red campion(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 08 May 2024 at 12:44    Image of day on 27 May 2024

A little serendipity as this male Orange-tip Butterfly picks up the shadow of Blackberry thorn on his wings. You can clearly see the intricate green and white lower rear wing markings.


Ref: 20240527_df3_20240508_1244_480 orange-tip butterfly male feeding with shadow of blackberry thorns on wings(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Apr 2009 at 13:45    Image of day on 16 May 2009

Only the orange tip butterfly male (shown here) sports the orange tip that gives the species it's name. The female does share the delicate green tracery with her mate.


Ref: 20090516_dc1_20090423_1345_185+1357_199 ft1 orange-tip butterfly male flying over red campion (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 27 Apr 2020 at 12:25    Image of day on 18 May 2020

Here the male Orange-tip Butterfly is backing away from the flower, his Proboscis still extended.


Ref: 20200518_d73_20200427_1225_032 orange-tip butterfly male flying to ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower with proboscis already uncurled(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2021 at 11:29    Image of day on 25 Jun 2021

A male Orange-tip butterfly flies by giving us a good view of the top of the wings. Only the males show the orange tips.


Ref: 20210625_da1_20210601_1129_045_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Apr 2017 at 13:47    Image of day on 27 May 2017

On an unusually warm Spring day we only managed to catch 3 male orange-tip Butterflies, just one of which was obliging enough to fly through our IR trigger beam while still in the photo-frame.
In this image the Orange-tip Butterfly is nearly upside down showing us the marvellous green tracery that appears on only the underside of the rear wings.


Ref: 20170527_da1_20170409_1347_077+1427_130_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight underside green tracery with cuckoo flower (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 21 Apr 2019 at 12:51    Image of day on 18 May 2019

Here is the male Orange-tip Butterfly in flight, showing the upper surface of the far wing, and wonderful lattice pattern on the lower surface of the near wing.


Ref: 20190518_da1_20190421_1251_109+1105_073_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight with ladys smock (cuckoo flower) (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Apr 2011 at 14:56    Image of day on 02 May 2011

And this a male in all his glory, seeing the bottom of the wings (what you see when the wings are folded vertical). The green and white tracery on both sexes is really beautiful, but somehow set off even better by the orange coloured tip.


Ref: 20110502_da1_20110409_1456_292+1333_151_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight with ladys smock (cuckoo flower) (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Apr 2017 at 13:42    Image of day on 27 May 2017

On an unusually warm Spring day we only managed to catch 3 male orange-tip Butterflies, just one of which was obliging enough to fly through our IR trigger beam while still in the photo-frame.


Ref: 20170527_da1_20170409_1342_053+1426_116_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight with primrose flower (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 21 May 2010 at 14:44    Image of day on 25 Jun 2010

The Cuckoo Flower (lady's smock (cuckoo flower)) has almost finished, and the Red campion is now the Orange-tip butterfly's preferred fuel. This male is a bit tatty but still lovely and flying well.


Ref: 20100625_da1_20100521_1444_379+1533_403_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male in flight with red campion flower (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 26 May 2016 at 18:22    Image of day on 08 Jul 2016

A male Orange-tip butterfly just suns himself on some sunshine catching fresh Blackberry leaves.


Ref: 20160708_df3_20160526_1822_145 orange-tip butterfly male on blackberry leaves(r+mb id@768).jpg


Backwards

Forwards

 

Comments and requests for image use

To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full resolution image, send us an email including the reference or the date for the image you are interested in.

All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-

Mail Us