Courtship Display ? Clouded Yellow

[Devon Dave]

Saw a vey interesting courtship display ? of a pair of Clouded Yellows at on Monday. One of them, I imagine the female just resting with her wings wide open for at least half a minute whilst the other, a smaller one and possibly the male, flitted around her eying her open wings from several angles. Never seen this display before and amazing to see fully opened wings for a good length of time. Only problem was her left wing shaded by Bramble leaf.
Thought the open wings for a relatively long period might be note worthy and of interest maybe, or maybe its a common practice of this species I just have not witnessed before.

[Pauline]

That's a great photo Dave. Not something I've ever seen either - really interesting.

[bugboy]

I've never witnessed this before myself but I would hazard an educated guess this is a female rejecting a males advances, although the abdomen isn't vertical, it does look like the posture other female pierids assume when telling the male to try his luck elsewhere.

[Devon Dave]

Hi Pauline,
and thank you for your comments pleased you found it as interesting as I did, at first I thought with wings open constantly she was dead .But after about 30 seconds with wings open she flew off and was chased by the smaller one in a mid air Dance routine.(See next photo). Also a heavily cropped second photo of them on the ground with the smaller ones wings opening more.
Also many thanks to Bug Boys Comments which are also duly noted.

[Pauline]

Just from the shots you've posted Dave it reminds me of courtship displays I have seen with Graylings. Fantastic that you witnessed it - whatever they were doing!

[Mark Tutton]

I would agree with Bugboy - looks like a rejection pose.
Kind Regards
Mark

[Devon Dave]

Thank you to Pauline and Mark for your comments, you are correct about Graylings Pauline. I witnessed a Pair of Graylings performing a similar display last year with both partners displaying open wings(see photo attached)

[Pauline]

Now that is something I HAVE seen but I reckon you got a better photo than me.

[David M]

Have seen this behaviour on the continent in both Clouded AND Berger's Clouded Yellows. Perhaps the reason for not raising the abdomen markedly is because these species generally settle with wings closed, so maybe it's enough for the female to simply open her wings to give the male the warning, although it is clear that the female's abdomen is slightly raised in the image at the top.