In this 2025 countdown, W is for white, as in white butterflies, specifically Large white and Marbled white butterflies. When I found my first Large white pupae this summer, I had no idea that those finds would also lead to an interesting if rather gory tale of parasitism, of both the Large white larvae and the pupae being prey to parasitic wasps and to those wasps also becoming the prey of another species of parasitic wasp. If you dare, check out my posts: Large whites and parasitism , part 1, 23 June, and Large whites and parasitism, part 2, 24 June.

On a more positive and, for me, absolutely delightful note, this was a fabulous year for Marbled white butterfly sightings, from my first of the year seen during my first mini break in Weymouth (The Marbled white and the Skylark, 21 June); to a day wandering around Leckhampton Hill near Cheltenham, bewitched by the sight of more Marbled white butterflies than I’d ever seen before (An exuberance of Marbled whites, 8 July); and, a couple of days later, seeing even more of these stunning butterflies during a wonderful day Roaming Rodborough Common (11 July). Simply magical!