Leptidea sinapis
         
Wood White  
La Piéride de la moutarde  
           
The Leptidea sinapis-like butterflies belong to a complex of 3 species which look very similar : Leptidea sinapis, Leptidea reali, Leptidea juvernica. It is impossible to tell them apart unless the genitalia are checked, and sometimes even DNA studies are required. Their distribution is not well known and the living areas overlap in some territories. Thus, the specimen on this page may not all belong to the species Leptidea sinapis.
 
 
   
1] male of Leptidea sinapis - Alpes de Haute Provence (France) - 20/04/2011

 
  2] close-up of the specimen on the left, showing the white area underneath the antenna club. This detail, found in males only,  is essential for separating L.sinapis from the similar species L.duponcheli  
       
       
   
3] other male - Haute Loire (France) - 25/04/2011   4] close-up of the head of the specimen shown in 3]  
       
       
   
5] male - Haute Saône (France) - 19/04/2009   6] same specimen as 5]  
       
       
   
7] male whose genitalia were checked and were proved to be of L.sinapis alt.1405m - Hautes Pyrénées (France) - 16/04/2022   8] same specimen as 7]
 
 
       
       
   
9] same specimen as 7]   10] same specimen as 7], showing the white antenna tips  
       
       
   
11] male puddling - Var (France) - 29/04/2012   12] other male puddling - Var (France) - 29/04/2012  
       
       
   
13] male - Var (France) - 04/05/2013   14] male - Var (France) - 14/04/2012  
       
       
   
15] males puddling alt.345m -  Haute Garonne (France)  -  25/06/2021   16] same scene as 15]
 
 
   
   
 
17] mating pair bothered by two males attracted to the mated female alt.820m - Haute Loire (France) - 01/08/2022  
       
       
   
18] same scene as 17], the female is in the middle   19] close-up on the mating pair (male on the left)  
       
       
   
20] same scene as 17], view of the female's underside
 
  21] a female (on the left) and a male attempting to seduce her - Pyrénées orientales (France) - 08/07/2018  
       
       
   
22] male briefly opening its wings while courting (summer brood) - Dordogne (France) - 15/07/2008   23] other male opening its wings while courting (spring brood) - Var (France) - 08/04/2011  
       
       
   
24] same scene as 23]   25] same scene as 23], with the female opening its wings briefly  
       
       
   
26] a female (on the left) and a male courting alt.1000m - Alpes maritimes (France) - 11/06/2017   27] same scene as 26]
 
 
       
       
   
28] a male (on the left) and a female - Var (France) - 10/05/2013   29] female of Leptidea sinapis - Var (France) - 28/04/2015  
       
       
   
30] female alt.1700m - Alpes maritimes (France) - 07/06/2016
 
  31] female without grey scales on the underside (summer brood) - Alpes maritimes (France) - 16/08/2013  
       
       
   
32] female - Doubs (France) - 01/05/2008   33] female - Var (France) - 19/04/2011  
       
       
   
34] a male (above) attempting to seduce a female - Haute Saône (France) - 21/05/2010   35] same scene as 34], with the female opening its wings
 
 
       
       
   
36] female laying on an unidentified host-plant (Fabaceae family) - Alpes de Haute Provence (France) - 20/04/2011   37] same specimen as 36]
 
 
       
       
   
38] female laying on Lotus sp. with a male unsuccessfully attempting to seduce her at the same time - Haute Saône (France)  -  24/04/2010   39] closer view of an egg laid by the female from picture 38]

 
 
       
       
   
40] female laying on Dorycnium pentaphyllum - Var (France) - 10/05/2013   41] close-up of the egg laid by the female from picture 39]
 
 
       
       
   
42] female laying on Lathyrus pratense alt.320m - Haute Garonne (France) - 12/06/2021   43] close-up of the egg laid by the female from picture 42], the day after - Haute Garonne (France) - 13/06/2021  
       
       
   
44] young caterpillar on Lathyrus pratense alt.320m - Haute Garonne (France) - 24/06/2021   45] other young caterpillar on Lathyrus pratense alt.320m - Haute Garonne (France) - 24/06/2021  
       
       
   
46] chrysalis which originated from the caterpillar shown in 44] - Haute Garonne (France) - 15/07/2021   47] same chrysalis as 46]
 
 
       
       
       
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