- Family: Pieridae
- Scientific name: Aporia crataegi
- English common name: Black-veined White
- Spanish common name: Blanca del Majuelo
- Portuguese common name: Borboleta do pilriteiro
The Black-veined White – Aporia crataegi – Blanca del Majuelo is a fairly large butterfly, easily recognised by the black veining on a white background, with no spots. The female has a slightly softer brown colour to the veins. Groups can be found feeding on flowers near to their caterpillar food plants of hawthorns and also around orchards of Prunus species.
The caterpillars of this species can grow up to 4cm long, they are black with orange spots and a white horizontal line above the legs, covered with many white hairs. The caterpillars of this species survive over winter within the protection of woven nests.
- Wing size: 56-68mm
- Altitude: 500-2000m
- Flight time: April-July
- Over-wintering: Young caterpillars in a communal woven nest
- Caterpillar food plant: Crataegus, Prunus, Malus, Pyrus, Sorbus
- Distribution: Widespread through most of Europe
The chrysalis of the Black-veined White – Aporia crataegi – Blanca del Majuelo is very easy to identify for this species as seen in the image below.
Similar species: Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) but this species has two large black spots on the forewing.
Above images from the Sierra de Grazalema, Andalusia
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