www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

This is a thread in which to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2011..........................or the last time you saw one!

This is part of a series which will hopefully grow thoughout the winter until all 58 British species have been covered. Three new threads will be introduced per week. Our overseas friends are welcome to fill in the obvous gaps relating to our rare migrants, but please try to observe the alphabetical listing

Details of places, dates, times and circumstances would be appreciated and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, personal encounters, anecdotes and other interesting points.

Vince

This is my favourite photo of Orange Tip as it was taken in my garden. Last year I saw a female Oragne tip at the top of my garden but by the time I'd got back to the house and got my camera out she'd gone! This year when my wife told me there were some "orangey white butterflies up the garden" I didn't fancy my chances of finding them but they were still there. They didn't offer much in the way of open wing shots so I waited until they visited again. This time there were three males in a scrap, spiralling upwards into the apple tree branches. Two shot off diagonally away from each other into next door's garden and the victor gave a quick "lap of honour" before settling down and nectaring for a good half and hour. During this time I clicked away and managed to get nectaring shots as well as plenty of open wing "classic identification guide" poses. He was still there when I left, knackered but victorious!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Unfortunately i do not remember seeing as many Orange Tips as I would have liked this season.Cetainly not many seemed to visit my garden as in 2010.
Anyway this pic is my favourite as I was strolling through Walters Copse,Newtown,IOW on the 23rd April.It was a very sunny spring day as I recall,as was most of the month , and this female OT settled right next to me and stayed around long enough for me to take her picture.

Having collected lots of photos of male OTs, over the years, I really wanted some shots of females. This is the best I've managed so far - like all Whites, exposure is very difficult to judge, so I am pleased to have caught the subtle colour along the leading edge of the forewings, with chequered fringes around the black tips.
Mike

I'm also going with a Female Orange Tip, I had trouble last year trying to find one that would slow down long enough to take a photo I took this one at Hall Lee Brook the place I've discribed in my diary that is now being turned into a small Country Park. It was taken in May. Goldie M Sorry about the photo I put the wrong one in I meant to put this one in, is there anyway to take the one out Goldie M

The Orange Tip is my favourite butterfly. I started to rear a batch for the first time last year and they hatched in April this year. It was almost 10 months between pupation and hatching. In the days prior to emergance the pupa goes through colour changes and the wing colours start to show through the pupal case. This is the most interesting part for me and so these are some of my favourite photos.
The full report is here viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5089

Vince

2011 was a good year for Orange Tips locally, and our efforts in the local Millenium wood to get Jack-by-the-Hedge established in significant amounts are starting to pay off, with a good increase in sightings of the species at all stages of the life-cycle. Previously we have been rather reliant on strays from adjacent areas where Lady's Smock is well established. One of my targets for the coming year is to also get this plant established in the wood.

I can't choose between these two photos. I like the background of the first. The lovely spring flowers of Blackthorn and the autumn fruit (it should be time to break open the sloe gin soon, which is coming on nicely ) are fine compensation for the effort required in keeping it in check in the hedges that border the wood. On the other hand, the clean image of a roosting individual emphasises the mossy markings, which for me are the most attractive feature of the adult Orange Tip.

Simon C

The joy of Spring! A species which puts a smile on my face every time. The last two seasons have been very good for them and I've seen bundles of up to five male Orange Tips in both 2010 and 2011. Even when they're 'fighting' they bring an air of happiness with them.
Neil

Vince
The male in your "couple" shot is displaying something I have seen many times before when a male is close to a female.
They get the antennae very close together and parallel, not at 60 to 90 degrees that is the normal resting position.
I have not seen this except in potential coupling situations.
Is this part of the "Do I fancy this one?" process, or perhaps part of the "chat up" process?

Incidentally - I think your early stage photos (and not just these OTs) are brilliant.
A really educational addition to the site.
Thanks

You're right Roger - he's basically having a sniff.
Hope to catch up with you in the spring, perhaps on a Mc Skipper site.
Neil

Hope to catch up with you in the spring, perhaps on a Mc Skipper site.

Excellent idea.
We shall communicate nearer the time.