We have 5 species of white butterflies to get to know. I am getting my eye in to be able to identify those flying at the moment. So far I have seen the orange tip and the green veined white. The female orange tip does not have the orange tips to the wings, which makes it a bit more tricky.
Walking for one hour on the farm this week produced;
6 green veined whites
7 orange tip butterflies
1 peacock butterfly
The small orange egg of the orange tip is laid on the flower of the cuckoo flower ( left hand-side of picture)
Underside of the orange tip butterfly with mottled pattern
Underside of the green veined white
Underside of wood white butterfly, which is not as common as those above. I found this one in Clover Hill fen , Co. Cavan , 5th May last year
