Return to moorhen home page
Return to section index
Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Butterflies Page 19
Image Taken on 06 May 2011
at 14:44 Image of day on 10 Jun 2011
We don't ever remember such a good numbers or duration of
Orange-tip butterflies. Now the Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) has finished this
now slightly tatty individual is feeding mainly on the Ground Elder.
 feeding on ground ivy flower(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20110610_db1_20110506_1444_009 orange-tip butterfly male (a bit tatty) feeding on ground ivy flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 27 Apr 2020
at 12:24 Image of day on 18 May 2020
The insect on the right shows the Proboscis partially coiled.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20200518_d73_20200427_1224_022+025+026 orange-tip butterfly male around ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flowers (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 May 2025
at 13:01 Image of day on 13 Jun 2025
The male Orange-tips continue to try to mate with any Butterfly that is white!
Here he picked a Small White that seems to be as confused as he is and is
actively offered to mate. But the genitals don't 'match' and he gives up.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20250613_df3_20250505_1301_006+007 orange-tip butterfly male attempting to mate with small white 1+2 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Apr 2022
at 13:33 Image of day on 08 Jun 2022
Whoops!
The male Orange-tip Butterfly woos a female Small White butterfly.
They spend about a minute fluttering around each other before they
spot their mistake and part 'amicably'.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20220608_df3_20220430_1333_021 orange-tip butterfly male courts small white female (q)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 27 Apr 2020
at 12:23 Image of day on 18 May 2020
Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) is a generous nectar provider, and the
orange-tip Butterflies make the most of it.
.jpg)
Ref: 20200518_d73_20200427_1223_012 orange-tip butterfly male feeding from ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Apr 2024
at 15:15 Image of day on 01 May 2024
This male Orange Tip makes its first appearance of the year, making the most
of the thousands of tiny Forget-me-not flowers. To breed the females (who are
similar but without the glorious orange tips) will need the already growing
Garlic Mustard plants to lay their eggs upon.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20240501_df3_20240405_1515_046 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on forget-me-not flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Apr 2022
at 13:47 Image of day on 29 May 2022
This male Orange-tip butterfly is feeding on a Garlic Mustard flower. This plant
is where the females lay their eggs so that it acts as the food plant for the
caterpillars, but the Butterflies feed on any flower they can manage.
.jpg)
Ref: 20220529_d72_20220424_1347_115 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on garlic mustard flower(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 07 May 2020
at 10:54 Image of day on 02 Jun 2020
A male Orange tip butterfly feeding on the flower of its caterpillar's food plant,
the Garlic Mustard.
.jpg)
Ref: 20200602_df3_20200507_1054_004 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on garlic mustard flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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!
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
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 22 Apr 2025
at 09:29 Image of day on 29 May 2025
Some male Orange tip Butterflies now stop to feed on the recently flowering
Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) (aka Cuckoo flower)
.jpg)
Ref: 20250529_df3_20250422_0929_023 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Apr 2025
at 09:29 Image of day on 29 May 2025
Some male Orange tip Butterflies now stop to feed on the recently flowering
Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) (aka Cuckoo flower)
.jpg)
Ref: 20250529_df3_20250422_0929_027 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@768).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.
.jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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 29 Apr 2025
at 17:42 Image of day on 04 Jun 2025
This Orange-tip Butterfly is feeding on one of the recently flowering Red Campion.
Garlic Mustard is used by Orange-tip females for egg laying, and both species for
nectar, and has finally arrived rather late for the Orange-tips this year.
Climate change screws up long established timings for so many creatures all
using different 'cues' (e.g. day length, temperature, and probably other things)
about when to start their new years activities.
.jpg)
Ref: 20250604_df3_20250429_1742_068 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on red campion(r+mb id@768).jpg
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:-
