The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing about 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and tropical Asia with some varieties in the more northern regions of North America and Eurasia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow, or orange in coloration, often with black spots. The pigments that give the distinct coloring to these butterflies are derived from waste products in the body and are a characteristic of this family. The family was created by William John Swainson in 1820.
Pieris, the whites or garden whites, is a widespread now almost cosmopolitan genus of butterflies of the family Pieridae. The highest species diversity is in the Palearctic, with a higher diversity in Europe and eastern North America than the similar and closely related Pontia. The females of many Pieris butterflies are UV reflecting, while the male wings are strongly UV absorbing due to pigments in the scales.
Pieris bryoniae, the dark-veined white or mountain green-veined white, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Pieridae.
Pieris canidia, the Indian cabbage white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae found in India, Nepal and Indochina. Pieris rapae is one of the most closely related species in the Pieridae.
The Madeiran large white is a subspecies of the large white butterfly, endemic to Madeira. It was described by the English entomologist, Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1886.
Pieris mannii is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Colotis euippe is a butterfly of the family Pieridae that is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Colotis antevippe, the red tip, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Nepheronia buquetii, the plain vagrant, Buquet's vagrant, or green-eyed monster, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found throughout Africa.
Dixeia charina, the African small white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae and is native to southeastern Africa.
Mylothris rubricosta, the eastern swamp dotted border or streaked dotted border, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of papyrus swamps.
Appias phaola, the Congo white, dirty albatross, dirty albatross white or plain albatross, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko), the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. The habitat consists of primary wet forests.
Appias sylvia, the woodland albatross white or common albatross, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko), Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia, Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi. The habitat consists of forests.
Colotis hetaera, the eastern purple tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Arabia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and North Africa. The habitat consists of savannah, but penetrating the open parts of evergreen forests.
Dixeia orbona, the creamy small white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of open woodland and open montane forests, particularly forest-grassland mosaic.
Belenois raffrayi, or Raffray's white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. The habitat consists of montane forests and open grassland.
Belenois solilucis, the yellow caper white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The habitat consists of lowland to sub-montane forests.
Belenois subeida, the northern caper white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The habitat consists of forests and dense woodland.
Pieris krueperi, the Krueper's small white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found on the Balkan Peninsula and in Iran, Baluchistan, the Kopet-Dagh and from Asia Minor to Central Asia, as well as in Oman. The habitat consists arid areas with scanty vegetation up to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) in the mountains.
