Butterflies by family (3 of 5): Pieridae

The Pieridae are the whites amongst the butterflies. They are indeed predominantly white but with that they are still delicately coloured as well. Let’s start with the puzzle I solved for myself: the difference between the Large White (Pieris Brassicae) and the Small White (Pieris Rapae).

The Large White has a black spot on the tip of the forewing that stretches halfway, whereas the Small White only has a distinctive (but smaller) black tip on it’s forewing.

But you can only see that when you look at your pictures when back home (or that is how I saw the difference…eventually).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are very lively creatures and they will not necessarily stay on a flower or a leave for long. That makes taking a picture quite a challenge, although I have been able to take some nevertheless. In Dutch these butterflies are called Groot Koolwitje and Klein Koolwitje respectively.

 

One of the first butterflies to see in the spring is the Brimstone (Gonepteryx Rhamni). This lemon coloured butterfly was unknown to me until I saw one in May this year. I have shown it before, but it cannot be left out of this blog. In Dutch this butterfly is called Citroenvlinder, or “lemon butterfly”.

I once read that the Brimstone is one of the butterflies that lives the longest, sometimes up to thirteen months, although most of this time is spent in hibernation.

As it is often the first butterfly to be seen in the spring, even as early as January when hibernating adults are awoken on a sunny day There is a popular myth that it is this butterfly which gave us the word butterfly, an amalgamation of butter-coloured fly.

 

And finally a favourite of mine: the Orange Tip (Anthocharis Cardamines). It is a true member of the whites with a distinctive orange tip at it’s forewings.

Not one of the biggest of the family, but once you have seen one you will not forget the name.

In Dutch this butterfly is called: Oranjetipje. That means “little orange tip”. Nice name for a nice (Dutch coloured) butterfly.

Next time, I will show some blues and coppers from the family of the Lycaenidae.

The last picture in this blog is another of the Orange Tip.