Wood White vs Small Apollo

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Wood White Small Apollo
Scientific Name Leptidea sinapis Parnassius phoebus
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Pieridae Papilionidae
Size 36-48 mm wingspan 50-60 mm wingspan
Habitat Meadows Meadows
Diet Omnivores Nectar Feeders
Regions Europe, western Asia Central Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Wood White

A delicate, fluttery butterfly with rounded white wings and a small grey wingtip patch. It has a weak, dancing flight close to the ground.

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Did You Know?

It was recently discovered to be a complex of three cryptic species indistinguishable by appearance alone.

Small Apollo

A high-altitude alpine butterfly with translucent white wings bearing small red and black spots. It flies weakly over alpine meadows and scree slopes above the treeline.

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Did You Know?

It only occurs above the treeline in the Alps and is one of Europe's highest-altitude butterflies.