Green-veined white vs Orange-tip

These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a green-veined white from an orange-tip, and whether either one bites or stings.

≠The key differences

Green-veined White shows greenish veins on the underside of hindwing rather than the marbled pattern and both sexes lack orange tips.

	Green-veined white	Orange-tip
To humans	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
Size	Wingspan about 40-50 mm	45-50 mm wingspan
Colours	White, Green-veined (pale green), Black (spots and wing tips)	White, Orange, Green (mottled underside), Black (wing tips and markings)
Family	Pieridae	Pieridae
Habitat	Damp meadows, woodland edges, hedgerows, riverbanks, gardens and parks where host plants grow	Meadows, hedgerows, woodland edges, damp grassland, roadside verges and gardens where cruciferous plants grow
Range	Palearctic: widespread across Europe, temperate Asia and parts of North Africa	Widespread across Europe into temperate parts of Asia
Active	Spring through late summer or autumn (multiple broods in warmer areas); diurnal, most active in warm, sunny weather	Spring to early summer (typically April to June, varying with latitude); active during daylight, especially in sunshine
Pest?	No	No

Underside of hindwing with pale greenish veins visible through the wing — the key field mark
Adults mostly white above with small dark forewing spots; females often slightly more marked
Wingspan about 40-50 mm, smaller and more delicately marked than Pieris brassicae (large white)

Male: white wings with bright orange patch at the tip of each forewing, plus black marking on the wing edge.
Female: lacks orange patch—plain white above but with similar black marginal markings; underside of hindwing mottled green in both sexes.
Wingspan about 45-50 mm; when at rest, the mottled green underside helps distinguish it from many other white butterflies.

Green-veined White shows greenish veins on the underside of hindwing rather than the marbled pattern and both sexes lack orange tips.

Green-veined white: Non-toxic. Orange-tip: Non-toxic. Pieris napi is harmless to humans. Harmless to people.

Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.