During the mating season, the normally elusive Orange Sulphur becomes much more approachable. Last week, two were engaged in their courtship ritual in a large bed of Brazilian Verbena in my garden. The female was perched coyly pretending to feed until the male came flying in. She immediately struck the "elevated tip of the posterior" pose indicating her readiness to mate and he fell for it. He went into an aggressive flyover approach that lasted for some time.

During this courtship the female gave me the opportunity to capture her with the wings fully open...something I had never been able to get before.

Bob

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