# Checkered White (*Pontia protodice*) The Checkered White is a beautiful butterfly with white wings and black spots. It flutters around gardens and fields, bringing joy to everyone who sees it! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 21 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Checkered White Butterfly ![Checkered White](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Female_Checkered_White_Megan_McCarty05.jpg&width=800) Photo: Meganmccarty ( talk ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Checkered_White_Megan_McCarty05.jpg) ## Appearance The Checkered White is a medium-sized white butterfly with distinctive black or dark gray checkered markings, especially noticeable on the forewings. Females typically have heavier markings than males, making them appear more mottled compared to other white butterflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Pieridae - **Genus:** Pontia ## Interesting facts - Scientists once thought Checkered Whites had disappeared from parts of eastern North America, but they made a comeback! - Their eggs are ribbed and bottle-shaped, often laid individually on the underside of host plant leaves! - Unlike many butterflies, the Checkered White often rests with its wings folded, camouflaging itself as a flower petal. - Wow, these butterflies are called 'pioneer species' because they often appear first in new or disturbed areas! ## Special abilities - **Life Cycle Transformer:** Checkered White can completely transform from a munching caterpillar into a winged butterfly, allowing them to thrive on different food sources. - **Chemical Defense Shield:** Checkered White caterpillars eat mustard plants that contain chemicals, making them taste bad to many predators that might try to eat them. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Checkered Whites can produce several new generations quickly within one season, helping their populations spread and grow. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 32-51 mm - **Size:** 15-25 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 12 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Checkered Whites sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on leaves of mustard plants. - **Age differences:** Larvae (caterpillars) eat plant leaves, while adults drink nectar from flowers. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, mustard plant leaves, cabbage leaves, radish leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Shepherd's purse (*Capsella bursa-pastoris*) — Larvae feed on the leaves of this common weed. - **Eaten by:** [Cabbage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cabbage) (*Brassica oleracea*) — Caterpillars can be a pest on garden vegetables like cabbage. - **Pollinates:** [White Clover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-clover) (*Trifolium repens*) — Adult butterflies visit these flowers for sugary nectar. - **Eaten by:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Birds like jays are known to snatch butterflies from the air. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Checkered White? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Checkered White's wingspan? 32-51 mm ### How big is Checkered White? 15-25 mm ### How long does Checkered White live? 30-45 days ### How fast can Checkered White fly? 12 km/h ### What does Checkered White eat? Adult Checkered Whites sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on leaves of mustard plants. ### Where is Checkered White usually found? Grasslands ### How does Checkered White hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Botanical Research Institute of Texas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanical-research-institute-of-texas) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/childs-irving-hydroelectric-facilities) — Arizona, US · Historic District - [Hakone Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hakone-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Paseo Arts District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paseo-arts-district) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-luis-obispo-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Sedgwick County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sedgwick-county-zoo) — Kansas, US · Zoo [View all places to see Checkered White](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/checkered-white) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Checkered White: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/checkered-white)