David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
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Butterflies 89 – Large Whites
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae
LARGE WHITE
BUTTERFLY Pieris brassicae (m)
·
The Large White Butterfly Pieris brassicae is one of two British butterfly species often
lumped together under the generic title of “Cabbage Whites” as their
larvae may destroy brassica crops, the other being the Small White Butterfly
P. rapae. So, their presence may not be
welcomed! Of the two, the damage caused by the larvae of the Large White is
more considerable. A third White butterfly, the Green-veined White P. napi, is innocuous by comparison as its
larvae generally feed on wildflowers rather than on cultivated crops, so it
cannot be considered as any more of a pest than any of the other British
butterflies. The same applies to female Orange-tip Butterflies Anthocharis cardamines. They are also
predominantly white in appearance, lacking the bright orange wingtips of the
males. Wood White Butterflies Leptidea
sinapsis are unlikely to be found in most
gardens. As may be seen from the close-up photographs the Large White is by no
means entirely white, and as this butterfly contributes to pollination it also
performs a useful function – perhaps in inadvertent mitigation! The native
population may be reinforced annually by migrants from the Continent. Females
possess four conspicuous black spots on the uppersides
of their forewings, but these cannot be seen when the wings are closed unless
the butterfly is backlit. Both sexes possess black spots on the undersides of
their forewings. The uppersides of the apices of the
forewings are a grey-black colour in both sexes, covering a slightly larger
area in females. As a rule, these butterflies are quite difficult subjects to
photograph as they will often settle only briefly when feeding. The close-ups
were taken using a dual flash system, minimum available ISO, and manual
settings designed to deliberately underexpose the butterfly.
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