Figure 1.

Reflectance spectra of the wings of Pieris rapae rapae measured with a reflection probe connected to a fibre optic spectrometer from restricted areas (indicated by a number) of the dorsal forewing (1), dorsal hindwing (2), ventral forewing (3) and ventral hindwing (4) of (a) a male and (b) a female. The inset in (a) shows the dorsal side of a male P. r. rapae and the inset in (b) presents the ventral side of a female. The reflectance spectrum of the ventral hindwing of the male is lower than the other spectra in the blue–green wavelength range, resulting in a yellowish colour. The female wings are generally slightly yellower than those of the male. The indicated wing locations were the same for both male and female. Scale bars, 1 cm.