Egg laying butterflies.

[nomad]

It is always nice to photograph female butterflies egg-laying in the wild. Here are two of my images. The first Photograph shows a female Satyrium pruni  egg- laying on Prunus spinosa bushes in a large Oxforshire forest in the U.K.   This is a very local and uncommon butterfly here being confined to a few midland counties. It is a elusive species, usually inhabiting the canopy, but will occasionally descend to visit flowers. It flies during June. 

The second photograph is of a Geonepteryx rhamni egg-laying on Buckthorn- Rhamnus cathartica in the Spring. The female likes to lay on the tender young leaves and you can see the egg she has just deposited. This is widespread species in England and Ireland.

[wollastoni]

Your Satyrium pruni picture is a nice catch !
I am not sure I have ever seen one.

[lv73]

two other examples

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[wollastoni]

Nice pictures Laurent !

[jensb]

I once caught a Anthocharis cardamines on a picture while laying an egg.
It is an old picture. This was in may in the aboretum near Enschede.


Greets jens

[wollastoni]

Very nice, Jens.

Anthocharis cardamines is one of my favorite European species.
So delicate, so beautiful and symbol of Spring !

[koumantis]

Some laying females from Czech republic..
Maculinea teleius




Maculinea nausithous - laying female + male


and before laying.. Ochlodes sylvanus


Zygaenidae

[nomad]

In Britain, the lovely Lycaenid Celastrina argiolus has an interesting biology. In Spring the butterflies like to lay on Holly and then in the Summer Ivy. However, Jeremy Thomas, Britain's best known butterfly expert, tells us that the larvae will utilize a number of others shurbs such as Spindle, Dogwoods,Snowberries and even Heather and Gorse flowers.

While I was walking along a damp Carr/Birch woodland ride in the fenland of the Weerribben Reserve in Northern Holland this year in July, I was surprised to fine a pristine female egg-laying on a tall Marshland plant 'Purple Loosestrift ( Lythrum salicaria) growing along the ride edges. She seemed to be engrossed in her duties and I was able to take some nice images of her.

Also see here for a splendid web picture of C.argiolus larvae feeding on L. salicaria in Holland.

www.mindenpictures.com/search/preview/holly-blue-celastrina-argiolus-caterpillar-on/0_70025456.html



A female of the summer brood of C. argiolus egg-laying on L. salicaria in the fens of the Weerribben of Holland and then having a rare bask.



The beautiful spikes of L.salicaria are a notable necter source for Bees and butterflies. Here the Weerribben most famous butterfly, L. dispar batavus enjoys the sweet nectar.