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Identification Guide: Pieris

Firstly, use these diagnostic features to determine if it is a Pieris. Page 3 shows similar species and second broods which may confuse.

FEMALE Pieris fore-wing upperside MALE Pieris fore-wing upperside MALE & FEMALE Pieris underside

All females usually have All males usually have dark wing-tips and one Fore-wings usually have

or no black-grey spots on fore-wing yellowish wing-tips

dark wing-tips and
two black-grey spots on Hind-wings are
the fore-wing. creamy-white or have
streaks/ blotches of
[Note: Krueper’s Small
White has only one spot] greenish grey.

Next, establish if it is one of the three very common species of Pieris below which are found THROUGHOUT MAINLAND EUROPE.
If unsure, then follow notes to the numbered species on the next page which are mainly found LOCALLY IN SOUTHERN EUROPE.

1. Large White [Pieris brassicae]
Size is main indicator, usually
significantly larger than all
other species of Pieris
MALE & FEMALE upperside
2. Small White [Pieris rapae] Usually significantly 3. Green-veined White [Pieris napi]
smaller than Large White
MALE & FEMALE upperside Similar in size to Small White
Wing-tip marking fainter than Large
MALE & FEMALE upperside
White. Usually ends around here, well
above the vein marked [a] If mark
Wing-tip markings
goes further down, compare with 4 variable but veins

a usually lined greyish

a unlike Small and

a If wing-tip marking has Large White.

This spot is rounded
Compare with 4 black triangles like this go to 6 [Note: Around the Arctic Circle females
may be much darker, similar to 7]
b MALE & FEMALE underside
MALE & FEMALE underside
Wing-tip marking of roughly equal length Dense grey dusting below
along edges [a] and [b]. The marking is Prominent greenish grey
this vein is distinctive
usually more extensive and blacker than other veins on hind-wing are
species of Pieris. Compare with Small White distinctive and easily
If dusting appears equally
dense above and below distinguished from Small
MALE & FEMALE underside
compare with 4 and Large White
Similar to Small White
Fore-wing with two
[Note: In southern Europe
dark spots,
the grey veins can be
Fore-wing with one or two very faint causing confusion
frequently hidden If hind-wings have
dark spots, often hidden
with Small White]
greenish marks like
Hind-wing creamy If no dark spots, go to 5
these, go to 6
white If you are in the Alps, Jura Mountains or
the Carpathians, compare with 7
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4. Southern Small White Similar in size to 5. Mountain Small White 6. Krueper’s Small White
[Pieris mannii] Small White [Pieris ergane] [Pieris krueperi]

MALE & FEMALE uppersides very similar to Small White. At least three Smaller than Small White with weaker Similar in size to Small White
of the features below should be visible for a positive identification. flight than other species of Pieris.
This wing edge is rounded compared MALE & FEMALE upperside
This spot is often concave outward MALE & FEMALE upperside
to straight on Small White. or straight on its outer edge here.
Compare with 2
Wing-tip
marking like
row of black
triangles is
Wing-tip marking distinctive
a
shaped like a square
Faint black streaks here reliably Wing-tip marking is usually black MALE & FEMALE underside
ending in faint grey triangles about
distinguishes from Small White. MALE & FEMALE underside
here, close to vein [a]. Compare with 2
Greenish marks
MALE & FEMALE underside Fore-wing with here are distinctive
no dark spots
Grey dusting equally dense Fore-wing is distinctive This outlined area is
above and below this vein with one or light greenish in the
is distinctive two dark Don’t be confused by
summer brood, as
spots, often dark spots from
shown here. Darker
hidden upperside showing
green in the spring
through to underside.
brood, similar in colour
to the greenish marks above.
Formerly only in southern
Only found locally in southern Europe,
Usually found on dry and stony grasslands. Europe. Now present farther more common in Balkan peninsula. Only found locally in south
Small White prefers flowery grassy places. north. See map on page 4. See map on page 4. Balkan peninsula. See map on page 4

7. Mountain Green-veined White [Pieris bryoniae] 8. Balkan Green-veined White

Similar in size to Small White
[Pieris balcana]
MALE upperside FEMALE upperside MALE & FEMALE underside
Due to the wide variation
Ends of Thickness of amongst Green-veined
veins lined Pale brown or
yellowish/whitish grey veins Whites it is almost impossible
with black, continuing to to accurately identify most
on hind- with prominent specimens of this provisional
brown-grey veins wing edge is
wing is species. Visit the EBG website
is distinctive distinctive
distinctive for links to more information
Compare with 3 [see page 4].
Only found locally in the Alps, Jura Mountains, and the Carpathians, usually above 700m. Possibly Pyrenees?

Note: The status of the Mountain and Balkan Green-veined Whites is the subject of debate but they are currently treated as distinct species.
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All species of Pieris [except the Mountain Green-veined White] have at least two broods which can vary in intensity of colouring and
markings. To assist in identification, below are some examples of marked differences between the spring and summer broods.

Small White Green-veined White [Pieris napi] Southern Small White Mountain Small White
[Pieris rapae] [Pieris mannii] [Pieris ergane]

Spring Summer

Spring Spring
Spring Summer Upperside of spring brood, especially females, is
more heavily dusted than in summer when it is Spring butterflies usually
Spring brood underside often

The spring brood is usually lightly more cleanly marked [photos above]. Underside have paler markings than
has denser grey dusting than

marked compared to summer. markings usually lighter in summer [photos below] summer broods. in summer.

Spring Summer
Spring Summer Summer Summer

Below are some similar species which might be confused with Pieris

Species of genus Euchloe Species of genus Pontia Orange Tip [Anthocharis Black-veined White
The Dappled and Green-striped Whites The Bath Whites and Peak White cardamines] female [Aporia crataegi]
Large white Single dark linear mark
spot Fore-wing Upperside and
here distinguishes from
Pieris. Markings on male marking underside have
P. callidice
upperside fainter and less gives all the veins
Single dark
extensive than female. lined black
linear mark E. ausonia appearance
E. crameri
of tiny ‘white which is
Unlike Pieris, the upperside fore-wing usually Unlike Pieris, the underside
dots’ on distinctive.

has a white spot near the tip and a single dark hind-wing usually has a

linear mark, whilst the underside hind-wing is pattern of substantial greenish/

edge of wing
dappled with extensive
There are no
yellow blotches or
yellow/greenish
markings
P. daplidice Greenish marbling
other significant
blotches
resembling on underside
markings to
or
arrowheads. hind-wing different confuse with
stripes.

from any Pieris. Pieris.

E. simplonia E. belemia P. callidice P. chloridice
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Distribution Maps

Up to 1950 1951 - 1980 After 1980

Large White Small White Green-veined White

Southern Small White Mountain Small White Krueper’s Small White Mountain

Green-veined White

The distribution maps are reproduced by kind permission of LepiDiv. For more information please visit LepiDiv

For more information on all aspects of European butterflies please go to european-butterflies.org.uk including

the other Identification Guides in this series which are free to download at EBG Identification Guides

Guide designed by Bill Raymond.

With thanks for use of photographs to: Matt Rowlings from eurobutterflies.com, Roger Gibbons from butterfliesoffrance.com and Vincent
Baudraz from lepido.ch