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Green-veined White

Pieris Napi

Photo by sttweets
Published on Project Noah
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51.6493, 6.49625

Field Notes

Description:

A circumboreal species widespread across Europe and Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, Japan and the Maghreb and North America (Many authors consider the Mustard White of North America to be conspecific with napi or consider napi to be a superspecies). 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. Like other "white" butterflies, the sexes differ. 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, hence Green-veined White. Unlike these two butterflies it rarely chooses garden cabbages to lay its eggs on, preferring wild crucifers.

Habitat:

Spotted in German Nature preserve

Species ID Suggestions

Green-veined White

Pieris napi

Comments (4)

@bayucca, the images on the pages you've send me convinced me. I thought the Pieris Napi was always a bit yellow - green. Maybe that is also due to the direction of light and shades... Thanks for pointing out!
Hmm ... It is only very slightly visible, I agree. Look at the link below, this is Napi and looks "identical to yours", specially the black stripes which are typical for Napi. Brassica has 2 strong and round spots, whereas Napi has 1 strong and round spot and 1 more "lengthened" spot. http://www.lepiforum.de/lepidopterenforum/forum/pics4/pic40694.jpg
@Bayucca, this one was really white, it didn't have the same greenish shade as the other one I spotted: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/6805404.
Quite a tricky one. I think this might actually be Pieris napi. Look at the link and at the black area and spots on the apex and forewing. What do you think?

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