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Large White - Favourite Photo of 2017

Week 9 - Advent is upon us so while you're musing over what butterfly related gifts to ask for from Father Christmas at the same time you can come up with your 'Favourites' for this weeks selection

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

This was, by some margin, the least often encountered of our 'widespread/common' species, seeing only a handful all year. Given the apparent scarcity this one distracted me one afternoon when I was chasing White Admirals and Silver-washed Frits. Not something I would have thought possible a few years ago when those latter two were high on my list.

My photo this year is from March 10th, and was taken in the south of France in a place that had completely burned down a year ago. As the vegetation grows back, I have noted that the 'whites' and 'yellows' are the most versatile and are the first to repopulate these areas.
Large Whites on White Rocket: (FZ150)
Chris

I saw so many Large Whites last year it was great, not having seen too many the year before, my first shot was taken at my local haunt Hall-Lee-Brook on the 9th of June, the Butterfly was just about to take off when I got a lucky open shot.
My second was the 28th of July in East Blean Woods whilst looking for the PHS
My third shot was in my Back Garden on the 16th Sept I choose this one because it looks so cute Goldie

Not very many of these early on, but a few more appeared later in the season - possibly immigrants, as when I was down in Kent at the end of August they were steadily flying in off the sea. The first memorable shot was a glimpse of a mating pair high up on 20th April, on one of my regular local walks - possibly my only shot of a pair in cop.The other photo that comes to mind is of a newly-arrived immigrant female on the cliffs at Kingsdown Leas. Dave

Didn't take too many shots of this species in 2017. Probably the most presentable was this individual in the French Pyrenees in late May:

This year there were many Large White eggs laid in the garden, mainly on my Nasturtiums (which I plant specifically for that reason). It is always fascinating to observe the behaviour of the larvae as they develop and one of my favourite images is of a group of 2nd instars playing nicely.
Vince

How did you get them to align like that, Vince?

David M wrote:How did you get them to align like that, Vince?

I didn't, that's how they were resting.
If you look at enough larvae (like I do), then some will make you smile

Vince

Reasonable numbers of Large Whites around earlier in the year when I got the impression there were more about a bit further north than there were down south.
I quite like this shot of a slightly damp male that opened his wings a bit to warm up after being caught out in a the rain.
Later in the year numbers seemed to be increasing when I was down in Cornwall and Dorset, no doubt bolstered by arrivals from across the channel. The two photos below were both taken at Lulworth Cove in the small wildlife garden by the visitor center.
This well marked female was adopting the rejection pose although the only other whites anywhere near were a couple of Small Whites that were not taking the slightest bit of interest in her.
Cheers,

Neil.

That's incredibly well marked for a female Large White, Neil. I don't think I've ever seen one like that on UK soil! Given the location as well as the time of year, perhaps this one slipped over from the continent where they are routinely darker?

Large White

This was also taken at Kingston Lacey but later in the year and shows the second brood Large White. I like this shot because it illustrates the difference in behaviour that I’ve observed between the broods. The spring brood are really flighty, only stopping almost when they been becalmed by cooler temperatures. The subsequent broods by comparison are much more lackadaisical, so much so that they don’t even seem to mind sharing a flower head with other butterflies as in this case with another Large White and a Brimstone. I’ve never seen that before from representatives of the spring brood. Maybe it’s those hazy, lazy days of summer or possibly because the days are longer and there are more flowers they have more opportunity to feed?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Didn,t notice quite as many Large Whites in 2017 ,and took very few shots ,of the few I did take this one was my favourite,from a "plant"
site at Sellindge ( near Hythe , Kent. ). Regards Allan.W.