Pieris ergane

BUTTERFLY INFO

Pieris ergane is a butterfly of the family Pieridae on the island of Crete, Greece.

Scientific name

Pieris ergane (Geyer, 1828)

Common name

Mountain Small White

Classification

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

Wingspan

Male to female: 45-50 mm

Appearance

The general color of the wings is white for both sexes.

On the forewing, on the upper side, the male is black-colored near the apex, forming a clear square, and has another black mark in the postdiscal area. Females are similar to males, but they have an additional black marking in the postdiscal area. The underside has yellow colors near the apex and tiny marks.

On the hindwing, on the upper side, there is a small black mark, while on the underside, the wing is grey-yellow, with green shades in females and yellow shades in males.

The next generations appear slightly different.

Behavior

It has a slower flight in comparison with other Pieridae butterflies.

Habitat

Pieris ergane in Crete flies in warm slopes, dry rocky areas, sparse scrubland, mountain fields with light vegetation, and wet places in the lowlands.

Food plant

The larva feeds on Brassicaceae plants, (i.e. Aethionema saxatile, etc)

Flight Period

The butterfly flies in at least 1-2 generations per year.

Remarks

The butterfly has a unique appearance in Crete and can’t be confused with other butterflies on the island. The distinctive black square on the upper side of the forewing distinguishes Mountain Small White from Pieris rapae and Pieris brassicae.

Status*

Least Concern (LC)

(*European Red List of Butterflies, 2010)