- Characteristics of the Aurora Butterfly
- recognize caterpillars
- food plants
- Happen
- way of life
- flight time
- frequently asked Questions
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A white-orange coloring makes the Aurora Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) one of the most conspicuous native butterflies. The goddess of dawn gave it its German name. How to recognize the butterfly.
In a nutshell
- clear color differences in males and females
- orange spot most obvious distinguishing feature
- with a bit of luck you can see it in spring
- forms one generation per year
- Meadowfoam (Cardamine pratensis) particular importance as a food plant
Characteristics of the Aurora Butterfly
The Aurora Butterfly is a relatively colorful representative of the Whites and relatively delicate. Although males and females are distinctly different, they also have some similarities.
- white ground coloration on tops of both pairs of wings
- extreme tip of forewings gray to grey-black
- small black dot in the middle of the forewings
- yellowish-green to grey-green, irregular markings on hind wing undersides
- Wing span 35 to 45 mm
- Body height approx. 45 mm
- Diurnal butterflies, life expectancy about 14 days
gender differences
male (left), female (right)
| male | female |
|---|---|
| - Coloration more intense and striking than that of the females - Underside of forewings white and orange - Complete tip orange - Outer half of the forewings bright orange on top | - a little simpler in coloring - Distinctive orange spot missing - Almost pure white forewings - white coloring predominates - Tip of fore wings black - easily confused with other whites |
recognize caterpillars
- blue-green on top, finely hairy
- covered with small blackish warts
- fading into white on the sides of the body
- White coloring strongly limited towards the bottom
- Undersides of caterpillars dark green
- difficult to see because of their color
Aurora butterfly caterpillar
- usually sit back down on the food plant
- reach a body length of about 30 mm
- Head end narrowed in a crescent shape
- go through different caterpillar stages
- hibernate as a pupa
Tip: Immediately after being laid, the eggs of the Aurora Butterfly are whitish and quickly turn bright orange.
food plants
The main sources of nectar for the butterfly, which attracts attention with its white and orange coloring, are
- Meadow bittercress (Cardamine pratensis)
- Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Other cruciferous plants that serve as a food source for moths and caterpillars:
- Annual Silverleaf (Lunaria annua)
- Common night violet (Hesperis matronalis)
- Arrowcress (Lepidium draba)
- Rough-haired goose cress (Arabis hirsuta)
- Turmeric (Arabis glabra)
- Watercress (Rorippa amphibia)
- Winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris)
Meadowfoam (Cardamine pratensis)
Happen
The distribution area extends over large parts of Europe. You can see these moths
- in light, moist deciduous, coniferous, mixed and riparian forests,
- on dry, meager meadows and roadsides
- wet meadows
- glades,
- bush corridors
- in areas close to forests and
- in gardens
encounter
The meadow smock is particularly frequently flown to. Starting from the egg to the adult, this butterfly can find a fully-fledged habitat in any semi-natural garden. The prerequisite is the occurrence of its natural host or food plants. In Germany, this pretty butterfly is particularly common and widespread in Lower Saxony.
way of life
The female animals lay their eggs on the sepals or flower stalks of the forage plants, preferably on those of the meadow smock. The caterpillars hatch after a few days. They feed on flowers and infructescences until they pupate after about five weeks and four moults. To do this, they look for the stalk of a host plant, on which they pupate into a grey-brown or green girdle pupa, in which they also overwinter. While the caterpillars feed on flowers and infructescences, the adult butterflies suck the nectar of flowering cruciferous plants.
Aurora Butterfly eggSource: Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, Anthocharis cardamines egg (4582113773), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Tip: The name 'belt pupa' comes from the fact that the caterpillars are attached to the stem of the plant by a thin tether in the middle of the body.
flight time
The flight time or the appearance of this white and orange butterfly depends significantly on the temperatures.
- usually from the beginning of April to June
- in particularly warm regions from the end of March
- a little later (from around mid/end of April to July) at cooler and higher altitudes
The eggs of the moth can be found on the host plants during the entire moth flight season. The caterpillars can be observed from June to July.
frequently asked Questions
Is the Aurora Butterfly a protected species?There is no specific threat to this butterfly, even though it has been observed less and less recently. Its habitats and food plants should definitely be preserved and protected.
How old can these animals get?These moths can reach an average age of 14 days. In contrast, the pupa can hibernate for two years. Insects go through a pronounced period of developmental dormancy, during which the metabolism is partially shut down.
Can it be confused with other moths?The male moths are unmistakable due to their intense colouration. The females are different. Due to the lack of orange coloring, they can easily be confused with the large and small cabbage white, the female brimstone butterfly or the green-veined white.