Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 20.xii.2023

Pieris brassicae / Large White
Flutura e lakrës
Pieridae - Pierinae

Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758). TL: Sweden.

1a. Pieris brassicae, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Pieris brassicae ♂ upperside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Pieris brassicae ♀ upperside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Pieris brassicae ♂ underside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Pieris brassicae eggs. Italy (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Pieris brassicae ♂ underside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1g. Pieris brassicae, L3-L4-L5 caterpillars. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1h. Pieris brassicae, L3 and L5 caterpillars. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1i. Pieris brassicae, L3 and L5 caterpillars. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1j. Pieris brassicae, L5 caterpillar. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1k. Pieris brassicae, pupa. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 28-33 mm.
Ups: white gc.
Upf: black, white powdered (especially in spring generation), apical spot extending to v3 or beyond.
Uns: dense powdering with dark scales, greenish effect (in spring generation), slight or absent powdering in summer generations.
♀♀
Similar to slightly larger size.
Uph: black streak along internal margin, conspicuous round spots in s1b and s3.

Similar species

♂♂ Pieris ergane Size: smallest Pieris. Upf: square apical border. Upf: grey apical patch. Upf: poorly marked grey spot in s3. Unf: no black spot in s3. Unh: extensive grey dusting in basal area. Pieris mannii Size:smaller Pieris. Upf: apical border reaching v4 or v3. Upf: black apical border. Upf: concave or flat outer margin of spot in s3. Upf: small black lines on veins to the margin. Uph: triangular black apical spot. Unf: black spot in s3. Unh: extensive and equal grey dusting. Pieris rapae Size: smaller Pieris. Upf: apical border reaching v6 or v5. Upf: grey apical patch. Upf: well marked grey spot in s3. Unf: black spot in s3. Unh: grey dusting denser below the cell. ♀♀ Pieris ergane Size:smallest Pieris. Upf: square apical patch. Upf: grey apical patch. Upf: 2 strongly marked grey spots. Upf: strongly grey dusted internal margin. Unf: no black spot in s3. Unh: extensive grey dusting in basal area. Pieris mannii Size:smaller Pieris. Upf: apical border reaching v4 or v3. Upf: small black lines on veins to the margin. Upf: concave or flat outer margin of spot in s3. Upf: 2 marked grey spots. Uph: triangular black apical spot. Unf: black spot in s3. Unh: extensive and equal grey dusting. Pieris rapae Size:smaller Pieris. Upf: apical border reaching v6 or v5. Upf: grey apical patch. Upf: 2 marked grey spots. Unf: black spot in s3. Unh: grey dusting denser below the cell.

Life cycle
Adults: two to three generations from March to October, long life span.
Egg: 4-7 days.
Caterpillar: 13-24 days.
Pupa: short stage from spring to late summer, exposed pupa overwintering attached to a stone, wall or trunk.

Habitat
Pieris brassicae inhabits a large variety of flowery habitats, from lowland up to 2000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirment moderate, population density can be high, sometimes migrating in large numbers.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Alliaria petiolata, Brassica oleracea, B. rapa, Cakile maritima, Crambe maritima, Diplotaxis muralis, D. tenuifolia, Isatis tinctoria, Lunaria annua, Rorippa amphibia, R. sylvestris and Tropaeolum majus.
Butterflies feed on a large variety of flowers.

Distribution
Albania: widespread.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.

Conservation status
Pieris brassicae is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.

Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps

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