Cepora perimale

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

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

Cepora perimale
(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

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 ).

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

The adult butterflies are white with broad black margins containing white spots. The wings tend to grey at the bases.

(Photo: courtesy of Trevor Jinks, North Burnett)

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.

(Photo: courtesy of Wes Jenkinson)

The eggs are cream coloured, and spindle shaped with ribs. They are often laid singly on young shoots of a foodplant.

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

Queensland, and

Victoria.

(Courtesy of Kraft Australia)

Norfolk Island 1976