# orange-tip (*Anthocharis cardamines*) The orange-tip butterfly is a colorful insect with bright orange tips on its wings. It flits around gardens and fields, bringing joy with its beautiful colors during springtime. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Orange-tip Butterfly ![orange-tip](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/AnthocharisCardamines_2002Z.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnthocharisCardamines_2002Z.jpg) ## Appearance The orange-tip is a medium-sized butterfly. Males boast vivid orange tips on their white forewings, contrasting with the mostly white females, which instead have distinct black wingtips. Both sexes share unique mottled green markings on the underside of their hindwings, resembling camouflage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Pieridae - **Genus:** Anthocharis ## Interesting facts - Only the male orange-tip butterfly has bright orange wing tips; females are mostly white! - Orange-tip caterpillars are cannibalistic and will eat smaller siblings if food is scarce. - Their mottled green wing undersides are made of overlapping yellow and black scales, not green pigment! - These butterflies emerge early in spring, often being one of the first to be seen fluttering about. ## Special abilities - **Thorn Disguise:** Orange-tip pupae can look exactly like a thorn or dead leaf, helping them hide from hungry predators while they transform. - **Mustard Power:** Orange-tip caterpillars can eat plants from the mustard family, using their natural chemicals to grow big and strong. - **Zigzag Escape:** Orange-tip butterflies can fly in quick, erratic zigzags, making it very hard for birds and other predators to catch them. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-50 mm - **Size:** 18-22 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Flight Speed:** 15-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Caterpillars munch on specific wild plants, while adult butterflies sip nectar from various flowers. - **Age differences:** Larvae consume leaves and seed pods of host plants, whereas adults feed exclusively on flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** Cuckoo flower nectar, Garlic mustard nectar, Hedge garlic leaves, Cuckoo flower leaves, Dandelion nectar - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Cuckoo Flower (*Cardamine pratensis*) — Main food source for caterpillars and adult nectar. - **Depends on:** [Garlic Mustard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garlic-mustard) (*Alliaria petiolata*) — Another key host plant for larvae and nectar for adults. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — A common woodland bird that preys on butterflies. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Butterflies are gentle creatures; just watch them from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify orange-tip? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is orange-tip's wingspan? 45-50 mm ### How big is orange-tip? 18-22 mm ### How long does orange-tip live? 7-14 days ### How fast can orange-tip fly? 15-20 km/h ### What does orange-tip eat? Caterpillars munch on specific wild plants, while adult butterflies sip nectar from various flowers. ### Where is orange-tip usually found? Grasslands ### How does orange-tip hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Habichtswald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-habichtswald) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Soonwald-Nahe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-soonwald-nahe) — Rheinland-Pfalz, DE · Park - [Santa Catalina Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/santa-catalina-botanical-garden) — País Vasco, ES · Park - [Stadtpark Hamburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stadtpark-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · Park [View all places to see orange-tip](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/orange-tip) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Orange-tip: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-tip)