Cepora perimale

Cepora perimale (Donovan, 1805)
Australian Gull
PIERINAE , PIERIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 6 May 2008)

(Photo: courtesy of Martin Purvis, Sydney)

The Caterpillar of this species is green with yellow dots and white hairs. When resting, it often lies along a midrib of a foodplant leaf. It feeds on fresh young leaves and shoots of various species of Capparis, CAPPARACEAE, including:

Wild Caper ( Capparis canescens ),

Native Orange ( Capparis mitchellii ), and

Wild Orange ( Capparis sepiaria ).

Norfolk Island 1976

The adult butterflies are white with broad black margins containing white spots. The wings tend to grey at the bases. The undersides have a similar pattern to the upper surfaces, except the base colour is yellow or even brown in the dry season form. The wingspan is about 4 cms.

This species occurs from Indonesia to Fiji as various races. The suspecies scyllara occurs in Australia, including

Queensland, and

Victoria.

(Courtesy of Kraft Australia)

The eggs are white and spindle shaped. They are often laid singly on young shoots of a foodplant.