Butter Coloured Fly

It is commonly believed that the word "butterfly" is a derived from "butter-coloured fly" which is attributed to the yellow of the male brimstone butterfly, the female being a much paler whitish-green. I think leaf-coloured fly is more like it. Look at the perfect camouflage achieved by this brimstone this morning on fresh bramble leaves against young hawthorn and field maple.


It has been a butter-coloured fly day for me. It was confusing for me and the butterflies in Butterfly Alley I think as cherry blossom was fluttering down in the breeze. I photographed holly blues, orange tips, green-veined whites and speckled woods.