Cabbage White Butterfly - (Pieris rapae)

The European Cabbage White Butterfly has become a charming, yet ubiquitous pest.

Staff Writer (7/25/2017): The white wings of this species have charcoal gray tips. Males have 1 black spot on the center of each forewing, while females have 2 spots in the same place. The color under the forewings may be yellow or light green and is visible if the wings are closed.

The green caterpillar eats cabbage, nasturtiums and other plants related to mustard. It is covered with hairs and has 5 yellow lines running down its length.

The abundant Cabbage White Butterfly can bee seen fluttering around from early spring to late autumn. They are well-adapted to living in urban areas. They can be found in fields, meadows, parks and gardens. Because the caterpillar is fond of eating the leaves of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, they are considered a garden pest and require pesticides to control the populations.

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Details of the:
Cabbage White Butterfly

Category: Butterfly or Moth
Common name: Cabbage White Butterfly
Scientific Name: Pieris rapae
Other Names: Small White; European Cabbage White

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Pieridae

Genus: Pieris

Species: rapae

Size (Adult, Length): 30mm to 50mm (1.18in to 1.97in)

Identifying Colors: white; black; gray; yellow

Additional Descriptors: dot

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Saskatchewan; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

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