This is a Clouded Yellow- Colias croceus, a species of butterfly that I haven't seen before and I was thrilled to see it.  It was photographed at Exmouth this morning, close to the sea front.  I caught just a quick sight of a yellow butterfly flying some distance away and my friend Dave immediately said what it was. We searched the vicinity and found it feeding on a large clump of Ragwort (again confirming how important this poisonous plant is).  Eventually it settled to "nectar" on the Ragwort and I had the chance to photograph it.

Dave told me that they rarely open their wings when settled, they are stunningly attractive with opened wings so this is a shame.  He suggested that a shot in to the sun woud show the detail through the wing which is what I tried for and I like the effect.

Clouded Yellows are a migrant species, usually  being unable to tollerate damp cold winters in the UK. They do breed here though but new individuas arrive from the continent each year to establish fresh breeding stock. It is now thought however that some  do survive the winter if conditions remain favourable.  I wonder if this particular individual had arived from France, a strong  possibilty as it was seen so close to the beach?  Imagine that, this insect may have recently flown accross the English Channel, a distance at this point of  103 miles, that is quite a feat of endurance, wind assisted no doubt!  However, butterflies do migrate much, much greater distances.  For example the Monarch Butterfly of North America flies from Canada to "over-winter" in Mexico, that's more than 2000 miles!  This is a butterfly that I have been hoping to see for quite sometime,  a good day when I see a species that I haven't seen before.