This butterfly is aptly named; its black veins being its most distinctive feature. It is also very large for a white as it surpasses even the Large White in size and can resemble the Clouded Apollo, especially in flight. It is fairly common in Europe where it can be seen in huge numbers in places such as Greece and other eastern countries and used to be seen in England until it was wiped out around 1920 due to unknown causes. Like the Apollos its scales can be rubbed off easily giving the wings a somewhat opaque appearance: this does not seem to affect its ability to fly however. In the warm afternoon sun it can be restless, feeding frantically on nectar-rich plants like thistles, however in the cooler evening and morning light it can be rather sluggish allowing the observer to get good views.

Distribution: Most of Europe; absent from Britain and Ireland, northern Fennoscandia and most Mediterranean islands.

Flight Period: Late April-July in 1 brood, peaking in June in most areas.

Habitat: Scrub, woodland margins, orchards, forest clearings, open hilly areas, flowery fields at a variety of altitudes.

Foodplants: Primarily Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) but sometimes other Malus/Prunus species, such as Apple, Plum, Cherry trees etc.

Nectar Sources: Knapweeds (Centaurea), thistles (Cirsium), scabiouses (Knautia), Elder (Sambucus nigra), clovers (Trifolium) and a wide range of other flowers.

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