www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This image was taken last November in central Cairo.

The female is showing eggs but seemed more interesting in feeding than laying. Can anyone explain to a complete novice what is going on e.g. are the eggs being fertilised?. What I take to be the male is in the right hand top corner of the second image only flapped around her.

I am guessing the felame is in the position (raised abdomen) showing that she does not want to be mated by the male and is showing this and maybe the female either could not find a foodplant or is needing to fuel up before the egg laying process.

Thanks for the explanation.