Beautiful butterflies

This weekend we found ourselves on a familiar short walk between Catterall and Churchtown and for a change, rather than focus (literally!) on the landscapes and scenery, I felt like zooming in to the world of insects. But although the macro lens is perfect for extreme close-ups, I found that my telephoto got better results as it let me in close whilst keeping my distance. Perhaps not prize-winning shots, but interesting nonetheless.

I'm no expert but I believe this is the small white butterfly, Pieris rapae, also a claimant to the informal name of 'cabbage white'.

The cabbage white caterpillars can decimate crops of cabbages, as you might expect, but also are fond of swedes, turnips, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The small white is a native species to the UK, and populations fluctuate depending on the weather. There were plenty out today, so perhaps this is a good year for them.




This is a related butterfly, the Green-veined white, Pieris napi, which is more common than the cabbage white in the countryside.

Unlike the cabbage white its caterpillars don't attack cabbages, but it can often be found in damp hedgerows, ditches, riverbanks, meadows and moorland. It is considered the most widespread butterfly in the UK, so they aren't difficult to spot when you're out and about.