Wood White Butterfly Leptidea sinapis

The smallest of UK's white butterflies, the Wood White butterfly has rounded wings, closed at rest, with a pale grey shading pattern on the underside. The topside is white with a strong black patch at the tip of the forewing on the male and a faded grey patch on the female. Photos above by Alexandra Makhnina.

It often manages two broods, the adult flying in May and June and sometimes also in July/August. Above is the characteristic courtship display where male and female face each other, opening and closing their wings and the male or both waving their orange-tipped antennae.