Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
| Family: | Pieridae |
| Subfamily: | Pierinae |
| Genus: | Anthocharis |
| Species: | cardamines |
| Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Orange-tip is a true sign of spring, being one of the first species to emerge that has not overwintered as an adult. The male and female of this species are very different in appearance. The more-conspicuous male has orange tips to the forewings, that give this butterfly its name. These orange tips are absent in the female and the female is often mistaken for one of the other whites, especially the Green-veined White or Small White. This butterfly is found throughout England, Wales and Ireland, but is somewhat-local further north and especially in Scotland. In most regions this butterfly does not form discrete colonies and wanders in every direction as it flies along hedgerows and woodland margins looking for a mate, nectar sources or foodplants. More northerly colonies are more compact and also more restricted in their movements.
| #Individuals | #Tetrads | 2022 | 2023 | Abundance Trend | 2022 | 2023 | Distribution Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2804 | 2526 | -9% | 350 | 367 | +4% |
| #Records | #Individuals | Earliest Record | Latest Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Records | 35,248 | 65,769 | 10/03/1990 | 22/09/2011 |
| 2023 | 1,554 | 2,526 | 3/4/2023 | 22/6/2023 |
| Location | Date | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Record | Chilbolton Down | 3/4/2023 | 2 |
| Latest Record | Stanmore | 22/6/2023 | 1 |
| Highest Count | Ashford Hill Woods & Meadows transect: Section 4 | 7/5/2023 | 21 |
One of the issues with 'raw' trend data is that there is inherent bias based on the number of recorders. For example, the number of individuals and populated tetrads recorded are likely to increase if there is an increase in the number of recorders. In order to remove this bias, the normalised trends use data that has been recalculated using the average number of recorders over the trend period. This normalisation gives a much better picture of the true trends.
Average #Recorders: 221
Average #Recorders: 221