Maximus

[Wurzel]

Great shots Mike, I love that the orange-tips are visible through the pupal case Let's hope the promised improvement in the weather comes off.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

An Orange-tip at last



At long last after exactly ten months and much anticipation our first reared Orange-tip finally emerged at around midday today. I missed the actual emergence and found the butterfly with it's wings already inflated at 12.20pm. Thankfully the weather today was sunny and warm so I was able to release the butterfly into our garden. It spent some time on an Erysimum Bowles Mauve flower, allowing excellent photo opportunities before finally taking flight and disappearing into neighbouring gardens.

22 hours before emergence

20 mins. after emergence

90 mins. after emergence

98 mins after emergence

This was about a week ahead of our first reared Orange-tip emergence last year. It's brilliant to see an Orange-tip again

While out in the garden I spotted a Bee Fly (Bombylius major) also our first of the year, basking in the warm sun.

A second Orange-tip is very close to emerging! Watch this space ...

[David M]

A second Orange-tip is very close to emerging! Watch this space ...

I get the distinct impression that you won't let the next one escape your camera lens, Maximus?

Good luck with it, and I look forward to seeing the images.

[Maximus]

Thanks David, I'll do my best.

[trevor]

An excellent way to get a good Orange Tip image, rear your own !.
OT's are in the top three most infuriating Butterflies to photograph, next to Wall Brown and White Admiral !.
Well done, and best wishes for the coming season.

TREVOR.

[Maximus]

Cheers Trevor, I agree that rearing Orange-tips is a very good way of obtaining a reasonable photo
I find getting a decent shot of an OT outside is not difficult given the right weather conditions. White Admirals are fine when nectaring and can then be approached closely. Like you however I find Wall Browns can be difficult to approach a lot of the time



A second Orange-tip male emerged this morning, however I was a bit slow off the mark so missed it by about a minute, next time perhaps I did however manage some shots of it's wings inflating and released him into the garden later. He flew off strongly high into the air before disappearing from view.

Brilliant butterflies Orange-tips

[David M]

Simply beautiful!

What an experience that must have been.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic shots Mike With the low pressure system co,ing in it'll be a fair few more days until I get to see my first OT

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Cheers David, it's always a brilliant experience

Cheers Wurzel the present weather is not making it easy to see non-reared OT's. Our rearing cage is located in a sheltered part of the patio and gives just a little more protection!



It was clear yesterday that several Orange-tips were near emergence, so last night I brought them inside to try to photograph one emerging.
However on checking this morning I found that the female had already emerged. The male looked very close so I set my camera up and went to put the kettle on. I glanced back just in time to see it break out of the pupal case, so once again missed the actual emergence shot I did manage to get the following shots though.

The female that had already emerged was resting on a pupa.

Female

A couple getting close to emergence, particularly the female.

[David M]

Fantastic images, Maximus. You must feel full on privileged right now!

[Maximus]

Thanks David, i'm full-on privileged for sure




The full Monty


Having missed the emergence of several of our reared Orange-tips by a whisker, this morning everything finally fell into place. After a bit of a wait I was finally privileged to watch (and photograph) the emergence of a male Orange-tip

50 minutes before emergence

Start of emergence

Emergence +7 secs.

+ 14 secs.

+ 23 secs.

+ 32 secs.

+ 41 secs.

+ 60 secs.

Fantastic to watch but we still have some Orange-tips yet to emerge, maybe I'll be lucky enough to photograph a female emerging

[David M]

Simply superb.

Seeing that has given me a real lift.

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Mike,

glad you managed to capture the emergence of the male Orange-tip, and accompanied by an excellent sequence of photos.

All the best, Nick.

[Chris Jackson]

Brilliant Orange Tip photos, Maximus.
Seeing them in the wild now (soon I hope) will only seem a pale second best compared with your pics.
Cheers, Chris

[Maximus]

Thanks, David and I'm glad the pics gave you a lift thats great!

Hi Nick, I remember when we met you at Chiddingfold, several years ago, you told us that you had some Orange-tip larvae on Garlic Mustard plants next to your computer

Cheers, Chris I hope the OT's emerge in the wild for you very soon

[Maximus]

This morning a reared female Orange-tip emerged. I missed it by about 30 seconds or so, but managed to take a couple of photos just after the event.

What amazed me was the double proboscis as shown in the last photo, something I have not seen before, I'm not sure if this is normal or not!

[Maximus]

This was her out in the warm sunshine just before she took flight. A male Orange-tip also flew through our garden this morning but didn't stop.

[Maximus]

Yesterday I managed to - finally - 'bag' my fifth post-hibernator of the year, along with a Small White. Plenty of male Brimstones about as well, but they appeared to be hyperactive!

No. 5

This morning a Small Tortoiseshell was nectaring in the front garden.

[trevor]

Nice little trio, Maximus. I understand that a few Orange Tips are on the wing ( plenty of Cuckoo flower
around here).

All the best,
TREVOR.

[Mike Robinson]

Some really super pictures.

PS … thanks for noticing my Green-Veined White Butterfly of 30 March ...