Wood White (Oaken Wood, Surrey)

[kevtubb]

I spent some time at Oaken Wood (Surrey). I photographed a number of whites I assume were all Small White but then I got home and check my photos and think I have actually got photos of Wood White - they look good against the pictures on this website:

Wood White?

First 3 pictures

Small White

Second 2 pictures

Can someone confirm and make sure I am not seeing things ?

[Butterflyboy]

Yes, I'd say that they are wood wight because the other whites (large, small) have more of a creamy colour under wing and they have usually 1-2 black spots (depending weather they are male or female)
So I'd say that these are wood whites.

[bugboy]

First 3 are indeed Wood White, the last two pictures are of a male Green-veined White.

[kevtubb]

That's even better - I was hoping for Green-veined White.

Can I ask what makes the last two Green-veined White and not Small White - the upperwing patterns look similar for both species?

Reading the similar species pages on this website - is it because my butterfly has broken markings on the forewing extending down the trailing edge of the forewing whereas Small White doesn't have broken markings and it is not extending down the trailing edge of the forewing?

[Butterflyboy]

with the green veined it has black pigments around veins
and the small white has creamy wings with no black pigments around it's veins


butterfly conservations image

here is the butterfly conservation page for the green veined
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butt ... ined-white

and the small white
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butt ... mall-white


feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or missed out any stuff
does that answer your question?

[kevtubb]

Actually I was talking about the upperwings not the underwings, sorry!

[Butterflyboy]

it's alright, well I'm going to try to see a white letter now so I'll be back later

[David M]

Hi Kev, the giveaway as regards the uppersides is the black apical mark which, in Green Veined Whites, extends much lower than in Small Whites, and normally breaks up into mini triangular shapes lower down.

I've highlighted the area using your image (hope you don't mind):

Here's a Small White image I took for comparison:

[kevtubb]

Thanks David, that's fantastic - thank you for explaining - its a learning curve for me

[kevtubb]

Butterfly boy - I hope you saw your hairstreak - assuming that was what you meant by white letter - another species I have to see