Effect of Weather Conditions during Post-Diapause Development of Black-Veined White Aporia crataegi L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) on the Variation of Wing Venation

The work studied the effects of air temperature and precipitation during the post-diapause development of preimaginal stages, as well as wing size, on the occurrence of deviations from normal wing venation in Aporia crataegi. Samples for the analysis were collected from a natural population in the south of Sverdlovsk oblast from 2013 to 2022. The occurrence of wing venation abnormalities was shown to be dependent on weather conditions during the development of larvae and pupae in spring, as well as the size of the adults. Some variants were more frequent in years with cold and rainy springs, while the occurrence of others was not dependent on the weather. Certain wing venation abnormalities were more common in small adults, while others were more common in the larger individuals. The results indicate a variable degree of canalization and sensitivity of wing vein development in Aporia crataegi to the effects of environmental factors.