Caper White
Belenois java
During peak migration years, millions of these butterflies form massive white clouds so dense they can register on weather radar systems.
- Scientific name
- Belenois java
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Pieridae › Belenois
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry woodlands, open shrublands, grasslands, and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Adults feed on flower nectar from various native and exotic plants; caterpillars feed exclusively on Caper bushes (Capparis species).
- Range
- Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
- Size
- Wingspan of 50 to 60 mm
- Lifespan
- 2 to 4 weeks as an adult butterfly
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Land clearing reducing the abundance of their specific larval host plants (Capparis), and urban pesticide use.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless and safe to observe at any distance. Avoid handling them, as touching their wings can brush off the delicate scales they need for flight. If one lands on you, remain still and appreciate its gentle presence until it departs.
Belenois java , the caper white or common white , is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae found in Australia, Indonesia, and Melanesia. It is highly migratory and is often confused with the cabbage white ( Pieris rapae ).
Photo: Donald Hobern, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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