What distinguishes *Pieris brassicae* from *Pieris rapae* upon close wing inspection?
Answer
*Pieris brassicae* is noticeably larger with much broader, often solid black tips on the forewings.
When differentiating the Cabbage White (*P. rapae*) from the Large White (*P. brassicae*), size and wing tip coloration are primary identifiers. The Large White is described as noticeably larger than *P. rapae*. Furthermore, a critical visual distinction is found at the wing tips; *P. brassicae* possesses much broader areas of dark scaling, often appearing as solid black tips on the forewings. In contrast, *P. rapae* tends to have less extensive dark scaling in that region.

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