Introduction to the Cabbage White Butterfly
The Cabbage White butterfly is perhaps one of the most widespread butterflies in the world. Originally from Europe, Asia, and North Africa, it has been introduced in other areas through introduction. In a lot of gardens, it is one of the most seen butterflies. Host plants include members of the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae) and cultivated crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Cabbage White
The Cabbage White butterfly is a member of a group of butterflies called the Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae). These butterflies are either white or yellow colored. The Cabbage White is a member of the subfamily Pierinae, which those includes those butterflies that are white.
Description
Color: White to dirty white with black tipped forewings on the top and more yellowish on the bottom with black speckles. It looks somewhat moth-like and is sometimes confused for one.
Wingspan: 1 to 2 inches.
Active Flying Time: The Cabbage White is one of the first butterflies to be seen in the spring and generally is continuously flying during the growing season in North America.
Alternate Names: Small White (In Europe), Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage Worm
Lifecycle of the Butterfly
Eggs of the Cabbage White are yellow to white in color and vase shaped and are laid on the host plants. Once laid they take 1-3 days to hatch.
The larvae, or caterpillars, are a little less than an inch in length and are green with yellowish-black stripes. Their coloring camouflages them well on the plants they eat. Unlike some other butterflies, the head is not differentiated from the rest of the body and looks like a solid green sausage. The caterpillars grow for about 15-18 days.
The chrysalis is green or tan with a speckled color. The pupation takes roughly about 20 days.
The adults have broods continuously in North America. The adults can live for about 1-3 weeks, but usually around 1-2 weeks.
References
Life Cycle times come from Insectic.com.
The female is different than the male
The Cabbage White female has two black spots and the male has one black spot on the top of the wings (Pyle 1981).
References
Pyle, Robert Michael. 1981. National Audubon Society Field Guide to Butterflies. New York: Chanticleer Press. 924 pp.
Habitat and Range
The Cabbage White is found in open areas where the host plants are present, including fields, gardens, and woodland openings. This butterfly was introduced to North America in 1860 and is native to Europe and Asia.
Host Plants
This butterfly is fond of members of the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae), and of cabbage, hence the name, cauliflower, and broccoli. It can be an agricultural pest due its eating habits on the hosts.
Nectar Plants
The Cabbage White butterfly nectars on many species including asters (Symphyotrichum sp.), clover (Trifolium sp.), and verbena (Verbena sp.). This butterfly can see in the Ultraviolet (UV) spectrum and therefore chooses plants that purple, yellow, or blue.
Sometimes confused with Moths
The Cabbage White butterfly is sometimes confused as being a moth. On first glance it somewhat looks like a moth since it is fuzzy looking, but it is a butterfly.
For More Information
