Aurora butterfly - Anthocharis cardamines

Aurora butterfly - Anthocharis cardamines

Anthocharis cardamines, known in German as the Aurora butterfly, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae that is widespread in Europe and parts of Asia. The aurora butterfly is known for its vibrant colors and striking appearance, especially the male specimens.

The wings of the aurora butterfly have a characteristic pattern, which in males has a bright orange base color combined with black spots and a broad black band along the edge of the wing. The females have a similar pattern, but with a pale, yellowish base color. Both sexes have striking orange to red spots on the forewings.

The aurora butterfly's habitat includes open landscapes such as meadows, roadsides, clearings and forest edges. The caterpillars of this species feed mainly on the leaves of cruciferous vegetables, especially meadow foamweed (Cardamine pratensis) and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata).

The aurora butterfly is known for its spring occurrence and is one of the first butterflies to fly in spring. The males are often territorial and defend their territory against other males. They actively fly in search of females and food plants.

The species is popular with nature lovers and butterfly watchers and is often spotted in gardens and parks collecting nectar from various flowering plants. Nevertheless, the aurora butterfly is endangered in some regions due to habitat loss and environmental changes.

Protecting and conserving their habitats is therefore crucial to ensure the long-term survival of this fascinating butterfly species and to ensure that future generations can enjoy the beauty and diversity of nature.