Common name : Orange tip
Scientific name : Anthocharis cardamines
Family : Pieridae
Native to : United Kingdom
Interesting fact : The caterpillars of the orange tip are known to be cannibalistic and only one caterpillar survives on each Cuckooflower (the host plant).
With a wingspan of 42-52 mm, the orange tip butterfly is appropriately named keeping its white colouring and orange tips in mind. The orange tip is found in damp grassy areas and riverbank areas where the cuckooflower grows. The primary food source for the larvae is the cuckooflower, which very often falls short for all the caterpillars, thus making them cannibalistic in order to eliminate the competition of food.
