Pontia edusa

BUTTERFLY INFO

Pontia edusa is a butterfly of the family Pieridae on the island of Crete, Greece.

Scientific name

Pontia edusa (Fabricius, 1777)

Common name

Eastern Bath White

Classification

Family: Pieridae > Subfamily: Pierinae > Tribus: Pierini > Genus: Pontia

Wingspan

Male to female: 45-50 mm

Appearance

The forewings are white with black stains and a black spot. The underside of the hindwing is characterized by black and green-yellow scales, which create a greenish-white variable pattern.

Both sexes are similar; female has generally larger marks and additional three black marks in the postdiscal area of the upper side of the hindwing. Next generations appear slight differences.

Behavior

The Eastern Bath White is active only in hot sunshine when it nectars avidly at a wide range of flowers.

Habitat

Pontia edusa in Crete lives in any open grassy or flowery areas, and in open, mostly dry warm habitats: coastal dunes, grasslands, rocky slopes, farmland, vineyards.

Food plant

The larva feed on Brassicaceae and Resedaceae (Reseda lutea) plants.

Flight period

The butterfly flies in 2-3 generations per year.

Remarks

The butterfly could be confused with another Pieridae present on the island, Euchloe ausonia. Here are some useful tips to spot the difference:

• On the underside of the hindwing, the white marks of Pontia edusa appear to be irregularly shaped and can be distinguished from Euchloe Ausonia, where these marks are round white.
• The black discoidal spot is a thin black bar, and not as large as in Pontia edusa.
• There is a white mark near the apex on the upper side of the forewing that is absent in Pontia edusa.

Status*

Least Concern (LC)

(*European Red List of Butterflies, 2010)