Psyche
This small white butterfly beats its wings unevenly, bobbing up and down as it drifts weakly just above the grass.
| Where | Grassland and open ground across tropical Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | 25 to 53 mm wingspan |
| When | January to December |
The Psyche is mostly white with a single black spot near the forewing tip and faint greenish speckling on the underside, giving it a delicate, almost translucent look in flight.
Caterpillars feed on caper plants, and adults fly slowly and close to the ground in grassland and open, weedy ground, rarely rising far above the vegetation.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
White, Black
Active
Day
To people
Flutters weakly close to the ground; safe to observe and does not bother people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Has more extensive black markings at the wingtip and base, rather than the single small black spot on the Psyche's mostly plain white wings.
Questions
Is the Psyche dangerous to people?
Flutters weakly close to the ground; safe to observe and does not bother people.
When can you see the Psyche?
The Psyche can be seen from January to December, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Swiss Natural History Collections - SwissNatColl, CC BY 4.0, GBIF Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Whites and yellows›Leptosia
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.