Meadow white
Pontia helice johnstonii - Taita Hills, Kenya
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Genus: Pontia
Species:
P. helice
Binomial name
Pontia helice
(Linnaeus, 1764)
Subspecies
  • P. h. helice
  • P. h. johnstonii (Crowley, 1887)
Synonyms
  • Papilio helice Linnaeus, 1764
  • Papilio hellica Linnaeus, 1767
  • Papilio raphani Esper, 1783
  • Synchloe johnstonii Crowley, 1887

Pontia helice, the meadow white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in southern Africa.[1]

Wingspan is 35–40 mm in males and 37–43 mm in females. Flight period is year-round.[2]

The larvae feed on Heliophila species, Lobularia maritima, Lepidum capense, Rapistrum rugosum, and Reseda odorata.[2]

Subspecies

  • P. h. helice (Mozambique, Zimbabwe, southern Botswana, southern Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho)
  • P. h. johnstonii (Crowley, 1887) (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

References

  1. ↑ Pontia at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. 1 2 Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.



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