Male. Unmistakeable. No other butterfly has orange wing-tips. This one is caught in a spring shower - the raindrops frozen by the flash.
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Female. Can be confused with other whites.
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Green-patterned underside aids camouflage.
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Male on Cow Parlsey showing effect of camouflage
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Newly-laid egg is white.
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Egg matures to a deep orange.
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Empty eggshell, half eaten by newly emerged larva. The egg hatches about a week after being laid.
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The first tiny instar (1mm long) grazing on a developing garlic mustard seedpod.
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A later instar. Colour has changed to a counter-shaded green. When lit from above in the wild the lighter underside is in shadow and the whole larva appears flatter and less obvious to predators.
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The larva beginning to transform into a pupa.
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Transformation complete. This pupa was formed only 20 days after the egg was found.
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