Orange Tip Butterfly

This little butterfly got caught in our greenhouse so I had to catch it to let it free.

I thought it was a 'normal' cabbage white, as it's upper wings are white with black tips, but surprisingly it's a female Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines). We've seen a lot of orange tips this year, but I didn't realise that only the males actually have orange tips to their wings! Well, you learn something every day!

I didn't manage to get a photo of it with it's wings open as it was quite speedy!

I'm pleased to see that the larvae and adult mostly eat hedgerow plants and weeds, so not a bad little butterfly to see on the plot!