Large White (Pieris brassicae)
2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 05_25-19_male_25Jul05_Haute Garonne | 1033_female_Var_26May06 |
One of the most well-known species across Europe and like its little cousin the Small White (P. rapae), it tends to get overlooked by butterfly enthusiasts.
05_25-19: a male, without the two black upf post-discal marks of the female.
1033: this poor female has in fact been seized by a crab spider, more visible in the enlarged version (click to enlarge) where the spiders legs are just visible, and evidenced by the unnatural head angle. I found this to be an alarmingly frequent occurrence and I wonder how many butterflies are lost in this way every year. The crab spiders are of varying colours, often transparent, and they stay secreted in complex flowerheads where they can stay out of sight until ready to pounce. Altitude 185m.
05_25-19_male_25Jul05_Haute Garonne
