Large White (Pieris brassicae)
2024 photographs highlighted in yellow. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 52145_male_Cuneo, Italy_11Jun24 | 1033_female_Var_26May06 | 1039_male_Var_26May06 | 39039_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_24Jul15 |
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| 52148_male_Cuneo, Italy_11Jun24 | 52020_female_Var_17May24 | 52908_female_Isère_10Jul24 | 35605_sex?_Var_20Jun14 |
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| 40246_larva_Var_23Apr16 |
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One of the most well-known species across Europe and, like its little cousin the Small White (P. rapae), it tends to get overlooked by butterfly enthusiasts. It is significantly larger than its Pieris cousins and can generally be identified on size alone. |
The size and shape of the upf black apical mark is a sure
indicator of brassicae. The sexes are easily differentiated as only the female
has the two upf black post-discal spots.
Prior to 2024, brassicae was encountered only occasionally and seemed to be diminishing year-on- year. However, in 2024 brassicae seemed to everywhere and in much greater numbers than in previous years. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 52145 | M | a male, easily identifiable by the absence of the discoidal spot. My first passable photograph of the male upperside. 52148 is the underside. | 1330 |
| 1033 | F |
this poor female has in fact been seized by a crab spider, more visible in the enlarged version (click to enlarge) where the spiders legs are just visible, and evidenced by the unnatural head angle. I found this to be an alarmingly frequent occurrence and I wonder how many butterflies are lost in this way every year. The crab spiders are of varying colours, often transparent, and they stay secreted in complex flowerheads where they can stay out of sight until ready to pounce. |
185 |
| 1039 | M | a male underside. | 185 |
| 52148 | M | a male, known for sure as it is the underside of 52145. | 1330 |
| 52020 | F | a female, I believe. | 320 |
| 52908 | F | a female. | 920 |
| 39039 | M | a male underside, perhaps not as yellow as the norm. | 1600 |
| 35605 | ? | I am not sure if this is a male or female, perhaps the latter on the basis of the roundness of the wings. | 20 |
| 40246 | LARVA | a group of caterpillars on a plant of the Brassicaceae genus, possibly Sinapis arvensis (Charlock Mustard). | 140 |
52145_male_Cuneo, Italy_11Jun24
39039_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_24Jul15
52148_male_Cuneo, Italy_11Jun24
