Euchloe belemia (Esper, [1800])

Host plants:
In Fuerteventura, I found eggs particularly on stems, occasionally also leaf tops of Hirschfeldia incana and rarely Sisymbrium erysimoides, usually at half height of 10-20cm above the ground. According to literature the species was observed on further Brassicaceae as Diplotaxis.

In Gran Canaria I recorded eggs within the still compact inflorescenses of Hirschfeldia incana just starting flowering.
Egg records near Cadiz (S-Spain) succeeded in the same way in young, budding inflorescenses. Thus the way of oviposition is deviant in Fuerteventura.

Habitat:
Euchloe belemia inhabits semi-arid areas, ravines, rocky slopes, fallow land, roadsides and rural settlements.

Life cycle:
The adults fly in spring from late January to May, The caterpillars live mostly on flowers and fruits and develop very quickly. The pupae usually go into an aestivation as a development in the hot, dry summer months would be limited. They often emerge only after several years.
In Gran Canaria I recorded eggs already in mid-December 2016.

Endangerment factors:
In places, Euchloe belemia is threatened by overbuilding, tourism and overgrazing.

Remarks:
Euchloe belemia occurs in North Africa, some Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife) and the southern half (rarely further north) of the Iberian Peninsula in Spain and Portugal.
The taxon is splitted into several subdivisions which are nowadays most often regarded as allopatric species. E.g. the larvae show quite large differences in colouration and there are other differences in adults and ecology.

Taxa:
Iberian Peninsula and N-Africa: belemia (Esper, [1800])
Fuerteventura: hesperidum Rothschild, 1913
Gran Canaria: grancanariensis Acosta, 2008
Tenerife: eversi Stamm, 1963