The task completed, she flew up into full sun on a nearby bramble and rested - as many female butterflies do after the exertions of this activity.
Dave
Large White laying on wild brassica
Large White laying on wild brassica
Towards the end of my local walk today (3rd August) I noticed movement in the gloom of the tangled bits of foliage under the brambles. This turned out to be, somewhat surprisingly, a female Large White.She stopped moving, and I could see she had settled on a spindly bit of wild brassica (I'm not sure of the species, but it has tiny narrow leaves and long stalks topped with small yellow flowers) and appeared to be laying.She moved onto another leaf in the sun......but I moved to the other side for a better view as she continued to lay.It is possible to make out the small cluster of fresh eggs in these shots.
The task completed, she flew up into full sun on a nearby bramble and rested - as many female butterflies do after the exertions of this activity.She then took off to the treetops where many of my Large White sightings occur. Clearly none of the locals here grow cabbages or nasturtiums if Large Whites have to lay on plants with such a meagre supply of leaves! I shall be looking for caterpillars in a week or so...
Dave
The task completed, she flew up into full sun on a nearby bramble and rested - as many female butterflies do after the exertions of this activity.She then took off to the treetops where many of my Large White sightings occur. Clearly none of the locals here grow cabbages or nasturtiums if Large Whites have to lay on plants with such a meagre supply of leaves! I shall be looking for caterpillars in a week or so...
Dave
Re: Large White laying on wild brassica
Looks like Hedge Mustard she was laying on. No doubt an ancestral LHP before we started growing the big fat alternatives they relish these days.
Some addictions are good for the soul!