Pontia edusa

Eastern Bath white
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Pontia
Species: P. edusa
Binomial name
Pontia edusa
Fabricius, 1777
Synonyms
  • Colias edusa (Fabricius, 1787)
  • Papilio edusa Fabricius, 1787
  • Pontia daplidice auct. non Linnaeus, 1758
  • Pontia daplidice edusa (Fabricius, 1776

Pontia edusa, the eastern Bath white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.

Description

Pontia edusa is a small to medium-sized migrant butterfly, with a wingspan reaching about 45 mm. The upperside of the wings is white, with black stains on the top of the forewing and hindwing. The hindwing undersides have greenish-grey spots. The butterfly is nearly identical to Pontia daplidice. Investigations of the genitals are the only way to distinguish between these two types.

Caterpillar

The adults fly from March to October[1][2] with two to four generations depending on the latitude. The eggs are laid singly and have an incubation period of seven days. The caterpillars are present from May. They are greyish-greenish, with black dots and broad yellow stripes, quite similar to the larva of the cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae). The larvae feed on Resedaceae species. Pontia edusa hibernates in the chrysalis stage.

Distribution

It is found from the south east of Europe (southern France, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia) up to central Europe and the Middle East in Iran and Iraq. It is a migrant which can also be encountered in Belgium, Holland, northern Germany and Poland, in the Baltic states and in southern Sweden and Norway.[2][3][4]

Habitat

This species can be found in any open grassy or flowery areas, in stony or rocky places and in roadsides, especially where the host plants grow, at an altitude of 0–2,300 metres (0–7,546 ft).[2]

Subspecies

References

Wikispecies has information related to: Pontia edusa
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