​PHILIPPINE
LEPIDOPTERA
PIERIDAE
(Yellows and Whites)
PIERIDAE are members of the superfamily Papilionoidea, the True Butterflies. Adults have medium to small wings that are white, yellow, or orange, with some black or red, and many have hidden ultraviolet patterns that are used in courtship. The pigments that give the distinct coloring to these butterflies are derived from waste products in the body and are a characteristic of this family.
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PIERIDAE; COLIADINAE
Yellows or sulfurs
They are bright yellow or orange and have a wingspan of 35 to 60 mm (1.5 to 2.5 inches). Sexual and seasonal dimorphism in pattern and colour occur in many species. The pupae are attached to a twig by a posterior spine and a girdle of silk.
PIERIDAE; PIERINAE
Whites, yellows, orange-tips and wanderers
Named for their white wings with black marginal markings. The adult butterflies have a wingspan of 37 to 63 mm (1.5 to 2.5 inches). Sexual seasonal dimorphism in pattern and colour occur in many species. Many of the green, slender larvae are pests. Many of these species are strongly migratory. Host plants are in the families Capparidaceae, Brassicaceae, Santalaceae, and Loranthaceae.