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Leptidaea ID
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 10:47 am
by David M
Had this sent to me as a putative Fenton's Wood White.
Never seen this species so I'm not confident to say, although it looks a little strange for
sinapis.
Anyone got any experience with this one? It's from Romania:
Re: Leptidaea ID
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 3:49 pm
by petesmith
Like you David I have no experience (yet
) of Fenton's Wood White, so am also unsure. I am trying to convince myself that there is a hint of the falcate about the forewing tip as indicated below, but it's a bit tenuous...
- thumb_9162_3daaa50487b08204d42aa6a0f95370fd.jpeg (18.25 KiB) Viewed 141 times
Re: Leptidaea ID
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:13 pm
by Padfield
I like this very much for morsei. The combination of the slightly falcate forewing and the evenly reticulate appearance of the underside hindwing all look good for the summer brood of this species. I've only seen one morsei, in Hungary in 1994, and I wasn't able to chase it for a photo (I was leading a schools conservation group in the Boronka valley). In flight it looked large and paper-white and I knew 100% it wasn't a wood white, even though it didn't settle in my sight.
Guy
Re: Leptidaea ID
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:08 pm
by David M
Thanks, Pete/Guy.
Mindful of the falcate forewing, I compared the image to those of sinapis but the feature was insufficiently clear in my mind (although there does seem to be a slight 'hook' just below the apex).
As you say, Guy, it was the reticulated pattern of the unhs shading that made it look quite unlike any sinapis I've ever seen. Clearly, it's not duponcheli, so I think morsei has to be the choice.