85. Pieris rapae orientalis (The Small Cabbage White)

Number: 85

Family: Pieriidae
Sub-Family: Pieriinae

Species: Pieris rapae orientalis Oberthür, 1880

Common name(s): The Small Cabbage White

Photography location : Hanoi

There may be as many as 34 species of Pieris worldwide, although the status of some is uncertain. The commonest and most widespread species is rapae, which was originally restricted to Europe and temperate Asia but has been introduced accidentally to North America, Africa, South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
The caterpillar of this species is seen as a pest for agriculture.

Often seen flying year round in open glades, field edges, gardens, or along riverbanks. Both sexes visit a wide range of herbaceous flowers, fluttering from plant to plant and rarely settling for long

Pieris rapae is usually seen near vegetable fields where its caterpillar feed on family Cruciferae like cabbages

Pieris rapae courtship - female perched on the leaf

Male and female have both two discal spots on forewings (UpF). In Large Cabbage White (P. brassicae), male UpF without spots. In Indian Cabbage White (Pieris canidia), the hindwings border of both sexes have marginal black spots.

Matting pair - with a third individual (male) in flight