Green-striped White Butterfly - Euchloe belemia

Phylum: Arthropoda - Class: Insecta - Order: Lepidoptera - Family: Pieridae

Seen from the top, the Green-striped White butterfly could easily be mistaken many other black-spotted whites, especially because it is very active are rarely alights for more than a few seconds to take nectar from flowers. Seen with closed wings, however, the butterfly is distinctive. The hindwings are diagonally patterned with irregular thick green stripes, a pattern that is continued on the tips of the forewings. Wingspan ranges from 3.8 to 4.2cm.

The Green-striped White shown above was photographed at Monte Seco, in the Algarve region of Portugal. (Picture: Rob Petley-Jones)

Distribution

This butterfly does not occur in Britain or Ireland; it is seen in the south of Portugal and Spain and its range extends into Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and many other countries of northern Africa. The Green-striped White is also reported from several other Mediterranean countries, including Turkey. Further to the east, this little white butterfly has been reported from Iraq.

Lifecycle

The eggs are laid on the undersides of larval foodplants which, as with so many white butterflies are mainly members of the family Brassicaceae. This butterfly spends the hot summer months (a diapause) in its pupal stage.

The shortly hairy larva is yellowish green with three longitudinal blackish stripes and two almost white stripes low down on either side of its body..

Three or four broods of Green-striped White butterflies per year are reported, and the adults can be seen flying from November through to April or early May.

Studying butterflies and moths...

Acknowledgements

Pictures courtesy of Rob Petrley-Jones