Brimstone Butterfly
Gonepteryx rhamni
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Brimstone Butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni |
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Male Brimstone butterflies. The male and the female look similar from the side and rarely rest with wings open. They are perfectly camouflaged as leaf-lookalikes. He has a more yellow tinge to the green undersides and is bright sulphur yellow when he opens his wings. |
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The female is paler from topside and underside, looking almost white from the top, but distinguishable by the leaf-shaped wings. |
The male has a yellower-/greener- underside. | ||
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Brimstones are often the earliest butterflies to be seen in the year since they are one of the longest-lived (12 months+) and hibernate as adults. The buttery yellow colour of the male's wings in flight gave rise to the word "butter-fly". (Or was it from old English for "beautiful fly?) |
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