‘Tis the season for love

I was tying up the tomatoes in my vegetable garden when an odd looking white butterfly flapped past. I watched it land on nearby leaves and realised then – it was more than one butterfly and they were in mating mode.  Thinking it would be over quickly, I had a good look before finally going inside for the camera.

When I got back they were still ‘at it’ so delighted, I started taking photographs. I had never witnessed or photographed this before. Every so often, the pair would clumsily fly, still joined, to a branch close by, and then settle again. They were very discrete with their wings always screening their bodies.

Some things that surprised me were:
The cabbage white butterfly is a pale green on the underside of their wings with pale green fur and eyes.
They fly while conjoined.
The mating process is very lengthy – I observed for an hour and they were still together.

  An extra is included to better show the head and body details. I think it is quite pretty. I am trying not to think of all the green caterpillars chomping through my vegetable plants as a result of this encounter.

It certainly fits the criteria for the seasonal theme for Tiny Tuesday this week. It is the breeding season.