Great Orange Tip Butterfly Hebomoia glaucippe

The Great Orange Tip Butterfly is native to South and Southeast Asia and northern Australasia. There are many subspecies over its extensive range. With a wingspan of over 90mm, it is significantly larger than the European Orange-tip, Anthocharis cardamines, (some 50mm wingspan) and is one of the largest of the "whites" (pieridae).

Unlike the European Orange-tip, male and female look fairly similar. The male topside has clear white hind wings; the female topside is darker and has black markings on the hindwings.

The wings of the Great Orange Tip are toxic to predators - the toxin, also found in a sea-snail to immobilise prey, is only in the wings, not in the body. Some reptilian predators are immune to it and some insect/avian predators eat only the butterfly's body.

With forewings lowered and wings closed, the Great Orange Tip is well-camouflaged.