Orange Tip - About to Lay

A female Orange Tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) uses its feet to sense the phytochemicals and pheromones on the flowers of some Indian Brown Mustard (Brassica juncea) - grown through the depths of winter in our back garden from a packet of spice I purchased last November from our friendly local Post Office and corner shop.

If she likes what she smells, the female will lay an egg beneath one of the flower buds; and all being well, the egg will hatch and then feed on the seed pods that develop from the flowers.