Leptidea juvernica

English name:
Cryptic Wood White
Full scientific name:
Leptidea juvernica (Williams, 1946)
Croatian name:
Zagasiti bijelac

Red Book Category in EU: LC

Red Book Category in Croatia: NE

Wings span: 35-38 mm

Flight Period and Life Cycle

Flight period of Leptidea juvernica/sinapis complex in Croatia
Flight period of Leptidea juvernica/sinapis complex in Croatia

2-3 broods per year.

Distribution in Croatia

Distribution of Leptidea juvernica/sinapis complex in Croatia
Distribution of Leptidea juvernica/sinapis complex in Croatia

The entire territory (see remarks in below paragraph). Check the included map.

External Morphology Characteristics

The butterfly has white wings, with a dark tip at the apex of the forewing’s upper side in males. The underside of the wings appears yellowish-gray, while the cell is white. It is not possible to differentiate between Leptidea juvernica and Leptidea sinapis based on their external morphology or habitat. A research project conducted by N. Shtinkov et al. in 2016 suggests that almost all observations of these butterflies in Croatia belong to the Leptidea sinapis species. However, since the study involved a limited number of individuals from specific locations, it is not possible to conclusively determine if Leptida juvernica is absent in Croatia. As a result, all observations on the map are categorized as the Leptidea juvernica/sinapis complex.

Behavior

This species flies slowly. It feeds on the nectar of flowers. It often absorbs juices on moist ground.

Caterpillar Host Plants

Family Fabaceae.

Habitat

Grasslands, edges of woodlands and bushes. Elevations: 0-1200m.

Literature

N. Shtinkov, Z. Kolev, R. Vila, V. Dinca: The sibling species Leptidea juvernica and L. sinapis (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) in the Balkan Peninsula: ecology, genetic structure, and morphological variation. Zoology 119 (2016) 11-20.

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