Anthocharis cardamines, the orange tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae, which contains about 1,100 species. A. cardamines is mainly found throughout Europe and temperate Asia (Palearctic). The males feature wings with a signature orange pigmentation, which is the origin of A. cardamines common name. Females can signal different meanings to the approaching males by using their abdomen. There is evidence that mated females have an anti-aphrodisiac and that their usage of the abdomen has a closely related function in presenting these pheromones to males.

This species has been affected by changing temperatures, and its first appearance has shifted forward 17.3 days in the Spring.

Description

The common name derives from the bright orange tips of the male's forewings. The males are a common sight in spring, flying along hedgerows and damp meadows in search of the more reclusive female which lacks the orange and is often mistaken for other species of butterfly. The undersides are mottled green and white and create a superb camouflage when settled on flowerheads such as cow parsley and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

Males display a variation in body size, which is attributed to their host plant. Males reared on C. pratensis become the smaller of the two variants, and those reared on A. petiolata become the larger.

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(MHNT) Anthocharis cardamines - Foret de Bouconne, France - male dorsal.jpg|Anthocharis cardamines ♂

(MHNT) Anthocharis cardamines - Foret de Bouconne, France - male ventral.jpg|Anthocharis cardamines ♂ △

(MHNT) Anthocharis cardamines - Foret de Bouconne, France - female dorsal.jpg|Anthocharis cardamines ♀

(MHNT) Anthocharis cardamines - Foret de Bouconne, France - female ventral.jpg|Anthocharis cardamines ♀ △

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Distribution and habitat

A. cardamines can be found throughout Europe and across the Palearctic to China. Males are restricted to edges and clearings of forests for their entire lives. On rare occurrences, males will leave forest edges and enter meadows, but this is only to cross and reach another forest edge.

Food resources

  • Lathyrus montanus
  • Viola canina
  • Viola riviniana
  • Geranium robertianum
  • Viola tricolor
  • Capsella bursa-pastoris
  • Lychnis flos-cuculi

Female A. cardamines feed on the flowers listed above, in addition to all species of flowers located in the habitats where their host plants are found. They do not interrupt host plant search to find foraging habitats; instead, they visit available flowers in host plant habitats. This is the major reason why Orange tip females avoid eggs laying on the same crucifer.

Pupa

While the earlier stages of A. cardamines are easy to find since most individuals develop on a single plant, the pupa is very difficult to locate. This has affected first appearance of A. cardamines, which has advanced by 17.3 days with the increasing temperature. – In the male of the name-typical cardamines the orange-red apical patch does not reach much further than to the black discocellular spot, the rest of the upperside being white with the exception of the narrowly lack apical margin, the proximal area of the forewing beneath and the underside of the hindwing being likewise white, the latter with greenish ("parsley") markings, which are rather variable in extent. In the female the orange-red apical patch is wanting, but the black apical marking is much wider and the black discocellular spot larger, otherwise the female similar to the male.

  • A. c. meridionalis (Verity, 1908)
  • A. c. phoenissa (Kalchberg 1805)
  • A. c. alexandra (Hemming, 1933) – Found in the mountain ridges of Northern Tian-Shan at elevations of 1200–2700 m. Flight period is April–July.
  • A. c. isshikii – Distinct spot found both in pupae and adults and found in Japan.

See also

  • List of butterflies of Great Britain

References

  • UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme