Orange tip butterfly, Caister on Sea, Pat Adams 1/3
Orange tip, Upton Fen, Martin Staff 2/3
Orange tip, NWT Ranworth Broad, Ray Jones 3/3

Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines

The orange tip can be found across Europe and as far east as Japan. It is one of the few butterflies to be extending its range northwards within the UK whilst remaining very common throughout its traditional southern range.

Conservation status

Threats to the continued wellbeing of the species come in the form of habitat loss, particularly the drainage of wet areas, and destruction of hedgerows which results in a decline in abundance of its food plants

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Did you know?

The young caterpillars are cannibals, and due to fierce competition for food will usually eat any other larva it encounters; because of this usually only one survives per flowerhead. Newly hatched larvae will also eat unhatched eggs for the same reason.

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