The orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines)

The first moths freshly hatched from the cocoon can be seen in good weather at the beginning of spring, especially in the meadow at the north-west entrance. This is where the cuckcoo flower (Cardamine pratensis, Brassicaeae) grows, the favoured food plant of the caterpillar of the orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines, family Pieridae). The males are unmistakable due to the orange tip of their wings, the females are easily mistaken for cabbage butterflies at first glance. However, on closer inspection the typical green chiselling on the undersides of the wings is noticeable. Orange tip butterflies can be seen until the end of May, when the new generation takes over while still in the caterpillar stage.

left photo: male of the orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) - photo: Klaus Dieter Kaufmann

Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)

A greater variety of butterflies can be found in May. The meadow at the north-west entrance is also often home to the common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus, family Lycaenidae - gossamer-winged butterflies). Here it finds its food plants which include various types of clover and the yellow restharrow (Ononis natrix, Fabaceae). The male of the common blue butterfly has bright blue upper wings, which are bordered by a thin black line and a white edge. The female, on the other hand, is usually dull brown or brown with blue coloration on the upper wings and has small orange spots on the edges of the wings.

There are about 50 species of blue butterflies in Germany (members of family Lycaenidae). To tell the different species of blue butterflies apart, it is again necessary to take a look at the underside of the wings: the exact pattern of dots, the presence of orange and metallic blue spots and the "white smudge", something like a light brushstroke, are important.

right photo: female of the common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) - photo: Gerald Dyker

PEAK SEASON FOR BUTTERFLIES

A greater variety of butterflies can be found in May. The meadow at the north-west entrance is also often home to the common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus, family Lycaenidae - gossamer-winged butterflies). Here it finds its food plants which include various types of clover and the yellow restharrow (Ononis natrix, Fabaceae). The male of the common blue butterfly has bright blue upper wings, which are bordered by a thin black line and a white edge. The female, on the other hand, is usually dull brown or brown with blue coloration on the upper wings and has small orange spots on the edges of the wings.June to July is the peak season for butterflies. This is when you can occasionally see the magnificent silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia, family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies, subfamily Heliconiinae - heliconians or longwings) and the comma (Polygonia c-album, family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies, subfamily Nymphalinae - spotted butterflies) with its typical wing shape. It got its name from from the small white marking in the shape of the letter "C", which - you guessed it - is found on the underside of the wing. Larger groups of butterflies can be found on thyme in the medicinal garden, mainly cabbage butterflies (Pieris brassicae & P. rapae, family Pieridae - whites) and green-veined white butterflies (Pieris napi). In July, a very small and inconspicuous butterfly is the most common one, albeit limited to the ponds with duckweed. It is the small china-mark (Cataclysta lemnata, family Crambidae - grass moths). More than 100 individuals of this species have once been counted at a small pond in the Botanic Garden. Monitoring and counting the butterfly species in the Botanic Garden is done regularly but no butterflies are, only photographed for documentation purposes. The photos shown on this page were all taken in the Botanic Garden.

SPECKLED WOOD & HUMMINGBIRD HAWK-MOTH

Two species of butterflies stand out due to their particular behavior: the speckled wood (Pararge aegeria, family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies, subfamily Satyrinae - browns) chooses its territory along the border between woodland and clearings. A few trees are enough for the speckled wood to want to defend its territory against rivals. The hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum, family Sphingidae - sphinx moths) is also spotted every year in the Botanic Garden. Like a hummingird, this incredibly nimble, diurnal moth rushes from flower to flower to suck nectar with its long proboscis whilst hovering in front a flower.

THE BUTTERFLY YEAR ENDS IN AUTUMN

The butterfly year draws to a close in autumn. At this time of the year, the long-lived butterfly species can be observed feeding on found on fallen fruit and on flowers of the Argentinian vervain (Verbena bonariensis, Verbenaceae), which flowers into October. They must boos their food reserves before entering winter hibernation. Among these long-lived species are the peacock butterfly (Aglais io, family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies, subfamily Nymphalinae - spotted butterflies) and the common brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni, family Pieridae - whites, subfamily Coliadinae - yellows), but occasionally the red admiral (Vanessa atalanta, family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies, subfamily Nymphalinae - spotted butterflies) also makes it through the winter.

THESE BUTTERFLIES OCCUR IN THE BOTANIC GARDEN

(click on the picture to enlarge!)