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 the 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 on 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 , i.e. Sinapis alba, Sinapis arvensis, Erucaria hispanica, etc.

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)

(*Red List Greece, 2024)