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Hello all,
This year I found quite a few Orange tip caterpillars on the Honesty in my garden, and very much enjoyed watching them. However at the end of May the birds became very busy and one morning all but one had gone. I took the 'last survivor' indoors and it promptly became a Chrysalis! (22nd May).
I consulted my Butterfy book (J Thomas & R Lewington) and read that the normal Chrysalis stage is from early July. He mentions that there may, in warm springs, be a 2nd generation. Given the majority of the Orange Tip caterpillars I found were at the same stage, do people think they may hatch this year? If so could they find anything to lay eggs on? And lastly does anyone have any idea where the chrysalises would form naturally?
My photo shows the chrysalis attached to the Honesty it had been eating.

hilary wrote:Hello all,
If so could they find anything to lay eggs on?

All good questions, which I sadly don't know the answer to. But I'm particularly interested in the question above. Maybe some other experts on here will have some ideas?

I have seen 2nd Generation OTs in August before, but that was once a few years ago, but not sure what they could feed on then but they use many wild crucifers so must be something they could use although I don't know much about when which wild crucifers flower but they can use Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale) and it flowers May-October.

The chrysalis is usually formed away from foodplant (but not too far away) in a nearby bush or high growing plant but are very hard to find in wild (never seen one in 15 years of searching) I suspect even a nearby tree could be used.

Wonder if the early emergence could lead to a second generation? Would the cool June do something too?

Thanks for the reply. I suppose an unfindable place in which to become a Chrysilis is essential given they have to remain that way for such a long time! I'll have to keep keeping a 'daily eye' on this chrysilis just in case it hatches in the summer.

My mother (who's not entirely reliable in such matters ) claimed to see an Orange Tip in Hampshire in October last year. I didn't believe her, but I'd think an Orange Tip is hard to mistake. Could she have been right?

It is possible for single-brooded spring butterflies to emerge by mistake in autumn, even when there isn't a true second brood that year. Last year I posted a photo of a green hairstreak in October and after some research discovered the phenomenon had been recorded before. I have no evidence of a second brood of green hairstreaks last year - I think this one just got it wrong.

So I would give your mother the benefit of the doubt, but not submit the record to the county recorder!

Guy

I remember reading on Garden Moth Scheme report that (either last year or 2009) some had caught Yellow-Line Quakers in spring in some areas of UK, those are autumn flying species so something was odd there.

There was a record in the Republic Ireland (in Dublin I think) of a Holly Blue flying in late January this year. Defiantly not normal. Think it was in someones kitchen though, possibly pupated indoors?