Uploaded September 2010 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The culmination of 2 years-worth of rearing and filming, this collection of scenes from the Sara Orange-Tip (Anthocaris Sara) Butterfly's life cycle has finally been released!
This beautiful white, orange, and black butterfly is found throughout the western United States, and is one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring. It is easily mistaken for the more common Cabbage White Butterflies and other similar species unless one is able to get close enough to see the bright orange wingtips.
As Winter ends and the days slowly begin to warm, these butterflies begin emerging from their long winter sleep as pupae, and start looking for mates. The females seek out plants in the Mustard family and lay their eggs on the plant's stems. After a week or so, the eggs develop and hatch, after which the tiny larvae, not much longer than 1/8" eat their eggshells (shown here in time lapse) for some extra protien to start the caterpillar phase of their lives..
Over the next few weeks the caterpillar grows to maturity, eating mostly the plant's flower heads and seed capsules. At some point late in the caterpillar's life, it makes a "decision" based on environmental conditions, whether or not to develop immediately into an adult butterfly, or hibernate (known as "diapause") as a chrysalis (pupa) for the winter.
It then searches for a suitable spot on a plant stem, straps itself in using silken threads and pads that it spins from glads near its mouth, and then it then pupates (also shown here in time lapse).
After the pupa forms to its final shape, it slowly changes to a brownish translucent color. Those which diapause until a subsequent spring will remain this way for one or more years. When the pupa detects that environmental conditions are once again favorable (usually wet winters and warm humid spring days) the pupa breaks out of its diapause state and develops into an adult butterfly inside the chrysalis, which is shown in time lapse. The butterfly emerges and expands its wings in about an hour, then flies away to start the cycle all over.
See the rearing documentary page at the JCMDI website here: lepidoptera.jcmdi.com/b/pie/sara/sarar.html
This footage was shot with a variety of equipment, including a Casio EX-F1 High Speed Camera, JVC MiniDV Camcorder, Canon HF100 HD Camcorder, USB Microscope webcam, and Canon S5-is and SX10-is Digital Still Cameras.
The music is a mix of three different tracks by Technician (yours truly), including "Ortni" from the "StarSpin" CD, "Froggy Night 2" from the "Red dawn" CD, and "Sundogs" from the "TimeShift" CD. Complete artist discography, CDs and MP3 downloads are available at HTTP://technician.jcndi.com
Thanks so much for watching and reading! I hope you enjoyed the show! :-)
The little green bugs (sometimes called "plant lice") are small larvae of plant "Thrips" (Thysanoptera) which feed on the host plant's juice. Thanks to Dr Victor Fursov for the ID!
Note: This is copyrighted material, however, you may download this footage directly from YouTube and use it free of charge in your own non-profit/non-commercial YouTube videos. The full free usage policy, and copyright notice/claim and partner ad info can be found here:
jcmdi.com/stockfootage/faq.html#freeusage and
jcmdi.com/stockfootage/faq.html#partner
(please read both sections before using JCMDI material - thanks!)
The culmination of 2 years-worth of rearing and filming, this collection of scenes from the Sara Orange-Tip (Anthocaris Sara) Butterfly's life cycle has finally been released!
This beautiful white, orange, and black butterfly is found throughout the western United States, and is one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring. It is easily mistaken for the more common Cabbage White Butterflies and other similar species unless one is able to get close enough to see the bright orange wingtips.
As Winter ends and the days slowly begin to warm, these butterflies begin emerging from their long winter sleep as pupae, and start looking for mates. The females seek out plants in the Mustard family and lay their eggs on the plant's stems. After a week or so, the eggs develop and hatch, after which the tiny larvae, not much longer than 1/8" eat their eggshells (shown here in time lapse) for some extra protien to start the caterpillar phase of their lives..
Over the next few weeks the caterpillar grows to maturity, eating mostly the plant's flower heads and seed capsules. At some point late in the caterpillar's life, it makes a "decision" based on environmental conditions, whether or not to develop immediately into an adult butterfly, or hibernate (known as "diapause") as a chrysalis (pupa) for the winter.
It then searches for a suitable spot on a plant stem, straps itself in using silken threads and pads that it spins from glads near its mouth, and then it then pupates (also shown here in time lapse).
After the pupa forms to its final shape, it slowly changes to a brownish translucent color. Those which diapause until a subsequent spring will remain this way for one or more years. When the pupa detects that environmental conditions are once again favorable (usually wet winters and warm humid spring days) the pupa breaks out of its diapause state and develops into an adult butterfly inside the chrysalis, which is shown in time lapse. The butterfly emerges and expands its wings in about an hour, then flies away to start the cycle all over.
See the rearing documentary page at the JCMDI website here: lepidoptera.jcmdi.com/b/pie/sara/sarar.html
This footage was shot with a variety of equipment, including a Casio EX-F1 High Speed Camera, JVC MiniDV Camcorder, Canon HF100 HD Camcorder, USB Microscope webcam, and Canon S5-is and SX10-is Digital Still Cameras.
The music is a mix of three different tracks by Technician (yours truly), including "Ortni" from the "StarSpin" CD, "Froggy Night 2" from the "Red dawn" CD, and "Sundogs" from the "TimeShift" CD. Complete artist discography, CDs and MP3 downloads are available at HTTP://technician.jcndi.com
Thanks so much for watching and reading! I hope you enjoyed the show! :-)
The little green bugs (sometimes called "plant lice") are small larvae of plant "Thrips" (Thysanoptera) which feed on the host plant's juice. Thanks to Dr Victor Fursov for the ID!
Note: This is copyrighted material, however, you may download this footage directly from YouTube and use it free of charge in your own non-profit/non-commercial YouTube videos. The full free usage policy, and copyright notice/claim and partner ad info can be found here:
jcmdi.com/stockfootage/faq.html#freeusage and
jcmdi.com/stockfootage/faq.html#partner
(please read both sections before using JCMDI material - thanks!)
