Orange-tip Courtship and Mating

 Courtship in some butterfly species is impressive to watch such as the amazing courtship flights of the Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia). However, in most species, courtship is a brief affair and consists mainly of mesmerising wing flapping and wafting of pheromones by the male towards the female.

Earlier this week, I was walking beside a roadside verge lush with prolific garlic mustard growth and there were several Orange-tip males on patrol. When I happened upon a very fresh female nectaring on the flower heads, she was very quickly found by one of the males.

Courtship to mating took no longer than 30 seconds and the following sequence of images illustrate the event.

Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)

Courtship and mating.

Green-veined White (Pieris napi) (female)

A few days earlier in the same location, this female napi was resting between bouts of egg laying.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Whilst photographing the mating Orange-tips, this rubi settled nearby and provided an irresistible diversion.

Bluebells in a Wealden wood.