Appias libythea olferna (Striped Albatross)

The Striped Albatross gets its name from the male butterfly, which is white with prominent black veins on the underside. The female is dark dusted with yellow wing bases. This species established itself in Malaysia and Singapore about 50 years ago, due to the wildspread abundance of its food plant the Wild Cat's Whisker (Cleome rutidosperma).  It is a common butterfly which can be found in the urban areas of Singapore.  Both the males and females can be seen flying in bright sunshine in HDB estates and even in the midst of downtown traffic.   Males are sometimes observed feeding on damp seepages on roadsides in numbers.  The females do not demonstrate such behaviour, preferring to feed on the nectar of flowers.

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