Female Orange Tip Butterfly.
05th May 2019
The female Orange Tip Butterfly is much less conspicuous tham the male. We are all used to seeing the male with his bright orange wing tips, (see previous blog post, spring in the Brecon Beacons), this wing pattern serves as a warning to potential predators that Orange Tips are very distasteful to eat because of their bitter mustard oil taste, this mustard taste is accumalated from their food plants in the caterpillar stage. As a result once a bird has tasted an Orange Tip, the experience, it is said, is unlikely to be repeated!
The females only protection, however, is camoflage, and this is very effective when she is at rest, as the delicate moss green and lichen-like markings blend in with plants like Cow Parsley and Garlic Mustard the latter being one of their principal foodplants.
The females fly so infrequently that they don't need warning markers like the males.
She is so beautiful!
The females only protection, however, is camoflage, and this is very effective when she is at rest, as the delicate moss green and lichen-like markings blend in with plants like Cow Parsley and Garlic Mustard the latter being one of their principal foodplants.
The females fly so infrequently that they don't need warning markers like the males.
She is so beautiful!