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Welcome to Daves Moth and Butterfly World -
Species Name: Green Veined White

Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is information the Green-veined White (Pieris napi).  Hear Scientific Name Sound

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Information

The Green-veined White (Pieris napi) is a butterfly of the Pieridae family. This butterfly is widespread across Europe, Asia including the Indian subcontinent and North America, it is found in meadows, hedgerows and woodland glades but not as often in gardens and parks like its close relatives the Large and Small Whites, for which it is often mistaken.

Similar Species

Dark Veined White/Mountain Green-Veined White (Pieris bryoniae), Small White (Pieris Rapae), Green-banded White (Pieris krueperi devta), West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis), Indian Cabbage White (Pieris canidia), Mustard White (Pieris oleraca)

Known Aberrations

To Be Completed.

Adult Images

Like other "white" butterflies, the sexes differ. The wingspan of this butterfly is between 40 - 52mm. The female has two spots on each forewing, the male only one. The veins on wings of the female are usually more heavily marked. The underside hindwings are pale yellow with the veins highlighted by black scales giving a greenish tint.

Recent research has shown that when males mate with a female, they inject methyl salicylate along with their sperm. The smell of this compound repels other males, thus ensuring the first male's paternity of the eggs—a form of chemical mate guarding. The adult male of this species has a distinctive lemon smell.

Mating Images

None

Caterpillar Images

The eggs are laid singularly on a wide range of foodplants including Hedge mustard, Garlic Mustard, Cuckooflower, Water-cress, Charlock, Large bitter-cress, wild cabbage and wild Radish and so it is rarely a pest in gardens.

The caterpillar is green and well camouflaged. It is often found feeding on the same plant as the Orange Tip but never competes for food because it only feeds on the leaves whereas the Orange Tip caterpillar feeds on the flowers and developing seed pods.

Pupae Images

None

Forms Pages

None

Subspecies Pages

Sabellice

britannica

thomsoni

Aberrations

None

Videos Pages

None

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-veined_White - Green-Veined White - Wikipedia 

British and Irish Butterflies - (c) 2007, Adrian M Riley 

Page last edited: 07/11/2009 22:35

(c) David McCormick 2009