Family: Pieridae
Average Size: 5cm wingspan
Identification: Wings are white or yellow, with irregular black or brown borders.
Distribution: The brown-veined White (Belenois aurota) and Meadow White (Pontia helice) are widespread. The remaining 13 species occurring in the region are restricted to the eastern or north-eastern parts of Southern Africa.
Behaviour: The Brown-veined White sets out on mass summer migrations in a north-easterly direction in southern Africa. Males of most species have a fast flight. Females fly more slowly looking for food plants on which to lay eggs.
Early stages: Eggs are yellow or red and are laid singly. The caterpillars are variable in colour, most are green, often with yellow stripes; they have stiff hairs along the sides of the body and around the head. The caterpillar moults in five separate growth stages over a period of four weeks. The chrysalis is either brown or green, with a blunt spine at the top and on each side of the chrysalis; attached by the tail end in an upright position. Adults emerge after two weeks
Food: Commonly plants in the caper family.
Notes: Spines on the chrysalis mimic spines on the host plant, which provides camouflage.
