Narrow-winged Pearl-white (one synonym : Terias nivea Swainson, 1851) PIERINAE, PIERIDAE, PAPILIONOIDEA | (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 :
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.
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.
The species occurs across much of Australia, including
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.
caterpillar | butterflies | Lepidoptera | moths | caterpillar |
(updated 1 January 2012, 29 December 2023)