Went out this morning and found the fields alive with Orange-tips butterflys.... they were everywhere i looked, and newy emerged to boot... there arrival comes after the first cuckoo flower or ladys Smock was seen on saturday... this plant is the feed plant of the caterpiller and the female will lay a single yellow egg on the leaf joint so the newy hatched caterpiller can feed upon it...
Female Orange-tip
Male Orange-Tip
Also seen at the moment are old peacock, speckled woods, whites, comas and a.few other what have over wintered in ya garden shed or in a evergreen... theses will die within days sadly ..they just got one job to do first... lay eggs on new greenery for the second gen in the late summer........
dont just look enjoy and leave for others to share after you. we dont own the earth we just rent a small part of it....
gorgeous pictures, i just wish butterflies are a common as they used to be when i was younger, you couldnt cross a grassy area with out disturbing loads of butterflies!!
Great pictures Derek, I was out and about last week and saw similar. I was lucky enough to see an Orange Tip actually settle and it was only then that I saw the lovely pattern on its lower side. I hadn't noticed that before.
And I agree with Owain21 - we do not seem to have as many butterflies around here anymore either. Also seems to be a lack of dragonflies and Damselflies which were quite prominent along our local river....
/Graham
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Excellent pics Derek! Saw my first orange tip (& Speckled wood) at the weekend!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Great pictures Derek, have seen lots of butterflies, but we only get the common ones - but common is good !
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Many of our common butterflies are in serious decline. Butterfly Conservation the national charity concerned with butterflies, moths and their habitats are appealing for peoples' sightings - no matter how common and widespread. There are a number of different ways you can contribute here to ensure the future of these iconic invertebrates.
Darren
Leave only footprints, kill only time.
I saw a yellow butterfly from the car, so couldn't ID it. Would it be a brimstone at this time of year? north west Cheshire area?
Just looked on BC website. I'll leave my sighting as one of those, 'appreciate the moment' ones!
Plenty of Brimstone Butterflies about now, no reason why not in your area.
Dont put your ID skills down, nothing else really looks like a Brimstone. :-)