www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Here is the opportunity to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2012 (or the last time you saw one!).

This is part of a series of topics which will grow over 20 weeks throughout the winter until all 59 UK species have been covered. The intention is to showcase three species per week (in alphabetical order), so please wait until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos. Our overseas friends are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants.

Details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, stories of personal encounters, anecdotes or other interesting points.

Vince

Small White

This was taken on a very brief stop off on the way home. It’s my favourite shot of Small White because I like the way the female is in mid copulation and is so uninterested that she’s still taking nectar! I do feel embarrassed for the would be lothairo
The site itself is a pull in on the Larkhill Road with two rows of Hawthorn – one edging the road to the Bustard Inn and the other MOD land. Just to one side of the entrance is a large patch of Golden Arrow which is where this shot was taken. It’s a great little site as everything to see is present within about 30 paces. Perfect for the odd 15 minutes on the way to/from work. Have a goodun

Wurzel

My female is a bit more interested than yours Wurzel!!!

I like this one for its joie de vivre:
Mike

Didn't see too many Small White this year I hope this is one because looking back I'm not sure I have it down as SW so
I took the Photo at Minnis Bay in Kent on the 10th October one of the few days that were were really nice Goldie

MikeOxon wrote:I like this one for its joie de vivre:

Superb, Mike.

I love this kind of photo.

I did not get many photos of Small Whites last year. I saw a couple in my garden early on and then there seemed to be a long gap until whites of any sort re-appeared later in the summer.

When they did show themselves at last they were usually 'unidentified whites' passing by at a distance.

The only Small White photo that I took last year that I really like is the one below taken in the evening at Sandford Heath, Dorset. This was later on the same day that I had spent a glorious afternoon at Lulworth Cove and Bindon Hill and finished the day off nicely.
Cheers,

Neil.

Just a standard shot from very local to me. I always forget to get up early and catch these butterflies waking up - they are generally far too active later on.

Dave

In late July I noticed a Small White female in the garden which was obviously egglaying, but she was doing so on some very small plants. These turned out to be Hairy Bittercress, which appears in most gardens and tends to grow on clumps. This is just as well because one plant would not normally be able to sustain a larva to pupation. After she had departed I counted a total of 14 eggs, some of which appeared to have been laid on previous visits.
The plants were re-located into a large pot of compost and supplemented with some young Garlic Mustard plants which provided enough food for the developing larvae. There they were allowed to develop normally without any further intervention.

Vince