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The Checkered White (Pontia protodice Pon'ti-a)
Pontia protodice (Pon'ti-a pro-tod'i-ce) PLATE XIII, FIG. 2-6, AND 9 There are two forms of this species, which are designated as Pontia protodice protodice and Pontia protodice vernalis respectively. (1) The Typical Form, Pontia protodice protodice.—The two sexes differ greatly in appearance. In the male the wings are white above and below; at the outer end of cell R+M of the front wings there is a dark bar which is usually divided by a line of white scales on the medial cross-vein; there is also a submarginal row of three more or less distinct spots, and the outer margin is more or less dusky; the hind wings are without spots.
In the female the bar at the outer end of cell R+M and the submarginal spots are present and are more conspicuous than in the male. There is in addition to these, on the upper surface, a row of triangular spots on the outer margin of both fore and hind wings, and a submarginal zigzag bar on the hind wings. On the lower surface, the veins, especially of the hind wings, are more or less tinged with greenish yellow, and flecked with gray.
Expanse of wings one and six-tenths inches to two and onefourth inches. (2) The Spring Form, Pontia protodice vernalis. This form of the species is much smaller than the typical one; it appears in early spring, and in much smaller numbers than the later broods, which are of the typical form. On the lower surface the greenish-gray banding of the veins of the hind wings is much broader, so that the white is reduced to narrow, wedge-shaped spots.
CATERPILLAR.-Length about an inch. The body is cylindrical and downy. It is striped lengthwise with yellow and greenish purple dotted finely with black. It has a small head.
Food-plants. Cabbage and other Cruciferæ.
The females of this species are the ones that are attired in checkered raiment, the males being dotted rather than checkered, which, by the way is not a very good term for the beautiful diamond design on the wings of the female. The caterpillar feeds upon the outer leaves of the cabbage, and, therefore, is less obnoxious than that of Pieris rapæ, which bores holes into the cabbage heads. It is triple-brooded, and spends the winter as a chrysalis. The individuals which come from these hibernating chrysalids are smaller than those of later broods, as if they had literally been pinched with the cold. These small butterflies were for some time considered a distinct species.
The checkered white is distributed over the whole United States, though its natural home is in the Mississippi Valley. It was once very abundant; but the introduction of the European species has imposed upon the checkered white a checkered career and it is now rarely taken.