Green-veinedWhite

green-veined white <> pieris napi <> bánóg uaine

Green-veined White, Mountseskin, Co Dublin, 29/05/'05
© D Hardiman

Habitat: The Green-veined White is Ireland's most plentiful and widespread species and is found in damp meadows, wood margins and along hedgerows and ditches.
It has two annual broods.

flight time: Late April to early June
July to mid August

Larval Food Plant:
                            Lady's-smock Cardamine pratensis
                            Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata
                            Watercress Rorippa-nasturtium aquatica
                            and other members of the Cabbage family.
Hibernation:   Overwinters as a pupa

The Green-veined White can readily be distinguished from other Whites by the dark green veins on the yellow underside of its hind wings. The intensity of the colour of the veins on the upper side is greater for the second brood.

Female Green-Veined White
© DHardiman 2002

Life Cycle of the Green-veined White

Ovum:
The spindle-shaped egg is laid singly in an upright position on the underside of leaves in May and in July /
August. It is c.1.2 mm tall and initially pale glossy yellow coloured becoming greenish and eventually
white. Hatching occurs within a week.

Green-veined White ovum, Glynwood, Co Westmeath, 2003

Larva:
The fully grown larva is green with small black pinaculae bearing black and white setae. The spiracles are
black and surrounded by bright yellow circles. The first five instars and the larval stage of this butterfly lasts
approximately 18 days. Larvae can be found from early May to early July and again from August to early
September.

Pupa:
Pupation takes place away from the food plant and low down in dense vegetation. The pupa is suspended by its
cremaster and silken girdle from the plant stem. This pupal stage takes approximately 10 days when first brood
butterflies emerge. Second brood pupae Overwinter in this pupal state which takes c.7 months
with second brood butterflies emerging the following spring.

Green-veined White pupa

adult:
Adults emerge in late April or early May and mating takes place.


Female Green-veined White butterfly	Green-veined White butterflies mating © DHardiman