white butterfly

insect

Also known as: Pierinae

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Britannica Editors

History

white butterfly, (subfamily Pierinae), any of a group of butterflies in the family Pieridae (order Lepidoptera) that are named for their white wings with black marginal markings. The family Pieridae also includes the orange-tip and sulfur butterflies and consists of approximately 1,100 species. The adult white butterflies have a wingspan of 37 to 63 mm (1.5 to 2.5 inches). Sexual seasonal dimorphism in pattern and colour occur in many species. Many of the green, slender...

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