(Hübner, 1813)
Small Bath White
Description:
The Small Bath White is a rare butterfly. It is often found on stony places, such as gravelly riverbanks and dry riverbeds, and similar sites with rounded stones. It also occurs on damp or dry grassy places and in open scrub. The butterflies are strong flyers, showing some migrant behaviour, and can thus be found outside usual habitat.
Cleome ornithopodioides is probably the most important larval food plant, the caterpillars feeding on the leaves, flowers and ripening seeds. The fully-grown caterpillars make their way to the ground to pupate on stones. This species has two generations a year and hibernates as a chrysalis.
Habitat:
Fallow land and waste places
Dry siliceous grasslands
Dry calcareous grasslands
Mesophile grasslands
Screes
Inland cliffs and exposed rocks
Similar species:
Pontia callidice
Pontia daplidice complex