Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 05.viii.2023

Pontia edusa / Eastern Bath White
Bardhoshja lindore
Pieridae - Pierinae

Pontia edusa (Fabricius, 1777) TL: Kiel.

1a. Pontia edusa, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Pontia edusa ♀ underside. Mali i Thatë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Pontia edusa ♂ lateral. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Pontia edusa copula. Romania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Medium size butterfly. Fw: 21-24 mm.
Ups: white gc.
Upf: usual grey-black apical markings , not line-shaped along the outer margin.
Uph: sometimes small black costal spot in s6-7.
Unf: large discal spot extending to costa, grey-green apical markings.
Unh: dark grey-green markings, marginal spots not linear. Second and later broods can be slightly paler green with yellow suffusion.
♀♀
Similar size.
Upf: larger black markings.
Uph: large black markings, big black costal spot in s6-s7.
Unh: grey-green markings more confluent.

Similar species

Pontia chloridice DD Size:smaller. Upf: broadening white marginal spots. Upf: discal spot narrow, not reaching costa. Unf: broadening white marginal spots. Unf: discal spot narrow, not reaching costa. Unh: green marginal spots linear. Unh: discontinuous discal markings.

Euchloe ausonia Upf: dicontinuous white sm markings, 1 large. Upf: full black discal spot. Upf + unf: straight outer margin. Unf: black discoidal spot near costa. Unh: contrasting olive green gc. Unh: white, round marginal markings.   Anthocharis cardamines ♀♀ Size:slightly smaller to similar. Upf: black apical patch without conspicuous white markings inside. Anthocharis gruneri ♀♀ Size:smaller. Upf: black apical patch black without conspicuous white markings inside.

Life cycle
Adults: continuous generations from en of February to November.
Egg: probably short stage.
Caterpillar: probably short stage.
Pupa: overwintering.

Habitat
Pontia edusa inhabits rough, flowery grounds from lowland up to 2000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement considerable, population density often high, nomadic, sometimes migrating.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on a variety of plants: Alliaria petiolata, Berteroa sp., Brassica sp., Lepidium sp., Raphanus sp., Sinapis arvensis, Sisymbrium sp. and Reseda sp.
Butterflies are feeding on all kind 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 (Sibling species, Pontia daplidice in IB and NWE)
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.

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

Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps

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