Pieridae

The Whites and Clouded Yellows, six residents and four migrants, one species is nearly extinct. 5 European species, all absent from Britain (A)

Home

Common Name Latin Name Food plant(s) Description
Wood White   Leptidea sinapis   Meadow vetchling, Bird'sfoot trefoil and bitter vetch   Bright green, pale yellow stripe along spiracles and darker green line along the dorsal, covered in tiny hairs. Locally distributed over much of southern and central England, south-east Wales and most of Ireland
Pale Clouded Yellow   Colias hyale   Red clover, lucerne and black medick   Darkish green and covered in tiny black hairs, whitish stripe almost obscured by orange-red markings. Uncommon migrant
Berger's Clouded Yellow   Colias alfacarinensis   Horseshoe vetch   Light bluish-green, pale yellow stripes along subdorsal and spiracles, bold black blotches on each of the segments on both sides of the stripe. Very rare migrant
Clouded Yellow   Colias croceus   Lucerne, clovers and Bird'sfoot trefoil   Green, pale yellow spiracular stripe edged with white and orange behind each spiracle. Well known migrant
Brimstone   Gonepteryx rhamni   Buckthorn and alder buckthorn   Dark bluish-green above and yellowish below, white spiracular stripe. Most of England as far north as the Lake District, most parts of Wales and many places in Ireland
Black-veined White   Alporoa crataegi   Blackthorn, hawthorn, plum and apple   Shining grey-black on the sides, velvet black dorsally with orange markings. Covered in short fine hairs. Became extinct in Britain during the 20's.
Large White Pieris brassicae   Cultivated brassicas, nasturtium and other suitable plants   Greyish, marked with and spotted with black, yellow dorsal stripe, smells of cabbage. Common
Small White   Pieris rapae   Charlock, cabbage and garlic mustard   Bluish-green speckled with black dots, pale yellow stripe. Widespread and common in Britain
Green-veined White   Pieris napi   Garlic mustard, lady's smock, hedge mustard and other associated plants.   Bluish-green covered in tiny black warts with hairs. Widely distributed
Bath White   Pontia daplidice   Wild mignonette and hedge mustard   Bluish-grey covered in black warts, stripes creamy and marked with orange. Very rare migrant
Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines   Garlic mustard, lady's smock and charlock   Bright bluish-green, blending to white. Common and widespread
Moorland Clouded Yellow   Colias palaeno   Northern bilberry A Green, minutely spotted with black, yellow band along spiracles. Northern Europe.
Mountain Clouded Yellow   Colias phicomone   Vetches and lucerne A Bluish-green, short black hairs and pale yellow stripe. Pyrenees, Asturias and Alps.
Peak White   Pontia callidice   Dwarf treacle mustard A Bluish-grey, raised black spots, two white bands. Pyrenees and Alps.
Morocco Orange-tip   Anthocharis belia   Buckler and hedge mustards A White, heavily spotted with black, broad yellow band along back. Southern Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and south-eastern France; also in North Africa.