Spring Butterflies Emerge

 Lepidopterists are always eager to see their first butterflies of the year and the very early species to appear are those that have hibernated as adults. However, by late March the true harbingers of Spring start to emerge from their chrysalises.

Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines) (male)

Small White (Pieris rapae) (female)

Large White (Pieris brassicae) (male)

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) (female)

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) (male)

Phasia hemiptera (mating)

This is a parasitic tachinid fly and as its specific name suggests, it preys on bugs, mainly Green and Red-legged Shieldbugs. This species is sexually dimorphic and the male has rather attractive wings with metallic blue flashes.