Elodina padusa (Hewitson, 1853)
Narrow-winged Pearl-white
 (one synonym : Terias nivea Swainson, 1851)
PIERINAE,   PIERIDAE,   PAPILIONOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

The Caterpillar of this species is green with brown marks, and a yellowish dorsal line. It has paired projections on the mesothorax, metathorax, and abdominal segments two and eight. It grows to a length of about 2 cms. It rests along the edge of a leaf of its foodplant, which is one of various species of : Capers ( Capparis, CAPPARACEAE ) including :

  • Dog Caper ( Capparis canescens ), and
  • Australian Native Orange ( Capparis mitchellii ).

    Elodina padusa
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The pupa is attached to a leaf of the foodplant. It is green with white marks, and a pointed head. It has a length of about 2 cms.

    Elodina padusa
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The upper surfaces of the wings of the adult butterfly are white with black wingtips. but the undersides are white with grey wingtips. The butterfly has a wingspan of about 4 cms.

    Elodina padusa
    underside
    (Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

    The species occurs across much of Australia, including

  • Northern Territory,
  • Queensland,
  • New South Wales,
  • Victoria,
  • South Australia, and
  • Western Australia.

    Further reading :

    Michael F. Braby,
    Butterflies of Australia, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 2000, vol. 1, pp. 312-313.

    William Chapman Hewitson,
    Pieris II,
    Illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies,
    London, Volume 1 (1853), p.31,, and also Plate 17, figs. 10-11.

    previous
    back
    caterpillar
    Australian
    Australian Butterflies
    butterflies
    Australian
    home
    Lepidoptera
    Australian
    Australian Moths
    moths
    next
    next
    caterpillar

    (updated 1 January 2012, 29 December 2023)