Best time to see: mid Apr to early Jul
Key facts
Unmistakable white butterfly with bright orange wingtips (although no orange on females)
Habitat: where the caterpillar's food plant is abundant – crucifers such as lady's smock or garlic mustard
Common throughout England, Wales and Ireland
Recognition
Male's orange wing tips are distinctive; both sexes have a mottled pattern under the hindwing, looking rather like lichen
A mobile butterfly, males often seen flitting slowly between white objects looking for females
Female can be confused with Small or Green-veined White, but neither has a central black spot on the forewing nor the mottled u/s
Lifecycle
White eggs, turning bright orange, laid singly on tall crucifers in late May and June
Dark green caterpillars lie along the seedpods of food plants in June/July, leaving these to pupate in dense vegetation
Adults emerge from April onwards to begin the search for partners
© Ken Wooldridge
© Gordon Chalk
© Gordon Chalk