Euchloe ausonia

BUTTERFLY INFO

Euchloe ausonia is a butterfly of the family Pieridae on the island of Crete, Greece.

Scientific name

Euchloe ausonia (Hübner, 1804)

Common name

Eastern Dappled White

Classification

Family: Pieridae > Subfamily: Pierinae >  Tribus: Anthocharini > Genus: Euchloe

Wingspan

Male to female: 45-55 mm

Appearance

The forewings are white with black tips and a black spot at the end of cell. The underside of the hindwing is characterized by black and yellow scales, which create a greenish-white variable pattern. The female is generally darker.

Behavior

It is often seen at roadsides and in areas of cultivation in the early spring. It has a fast and strong flight.

Habitat

Euchloe ausonia in Crete lives in dry-warm, usually semi-open habitats such as bushy rocky slopes, clear olive groves, forest edges, or dry ruderal terrain.

Food plant

The larva feeds on Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) plants.

Flight Period

The butterfly flies in 2 generations per year.

Remarks

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

• On the underside of the hindwing, the white marks of Euchloe Ausonia appear to be round white and can be distinguished from Pontia edusa, where these marks are irregularly shaped.
• 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)