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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Plants Page 60
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 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 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'.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210625_d73_20210530_1555_068 orange-tip butterfly male feeding on red campion(r+mb id@768).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.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
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.
.jpg)
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 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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
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.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
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.
.jpg)
Ref: 20160708_df3_20160526_1822_145 orange-tip butterfly male on blackberry leaves(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 07 May 2018
at 17:47 Image of day on 22 Jun 2018
Male Orange-tip Butterflies appear about a week before the females.
Here is a male tanking-up on a Bluebell flower.
.jpg)
Ref: 20180622_df3_20180507_1747_009 orange-tip butterfly male on bluebell flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2017
at 14:14 Image of day on 27 May 2017
This individual Orange-tip Butterfly just wouldn't fly in our kit, but while perched
on a soft artists paint brush he gave us a good view of his proboscis curled up
in the manner that it is stored between feeds. We have inserted a primrose leaf
to mostly hide the bristles of the brush - the double edge effect on the leaf is
real - not some 'photoshopping' artefact.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20170527_da1_20170409_1414_100+1426_120_ft1 orange-tip butterfly male on bristles with coiled proboscis + primrose leaf (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 Apr 2010
at 16:46 Image of day on 21 May 2010
Roy's favourite butterfly put in the first appearance of the year
on what here is it's favourite flower - the Cuckoo flower, also
called Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower)
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100521_df1_20100417_1646_155 orange-tip butterfly male on cuckoo flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 28 Apr 2023
at 12:55 Image of day on 09 Jun 2023
Garlic Mustard has just started flowering, and here at least it is the favourite
food of Orange tip butterflies. Here we catch a male (only males have the orange
tips) with wings both open and closed, showing the entirely different appearances
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20230609_d72_20230428_1255_079+082 orange-tip butterfly male on garlic mustard flower - wings open and closed (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 01 May 2015
at 12:40 Image of day on 28 Jun 2015
Orange-tip butterflies are restless little souls who hardly ever
stop their erratic flight. But they do need to refuel sometimes -
this one on the Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower). The red wing
tip appear only on the males, but the intricate green tracery
(you can't see here) on the other side of the wing decorates
both sexes.
.jpg)
Ref: 20150628_df3_20150501_1240_165 orange-tip butterfly male on ladys smock (cuckoo flower) flower(r+mb id@768).jpg
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