Everything about The Small White totally explained
The
Small White (
Pieris rapae) is a small to mid-sized butterfly
species of the Yellows-and-Whites
family Pieridae. It is also commonly known as the
Small Cabbage White. The names "Cabbage Butterfly" and "Cabbage White" can also refer to the
Large White.
It is widespread across
Europe, North
Africa and
Asia and has also been accidentally introduced to
North America,
Australia and
New Zealand where they've become pests on cultivated
cabbages and other
mustard family crops.
In appearance it looks like a smaller version of the Large White. The upperside is creamy white with black tips to the forewings. Females also have two black spots in the center of the forewings. Its underwings are yellowish with black speckles. It is sometimes mistaken for a
moth due to its plain-looking appearance.
Life cycle
In Britain, it has two flight periods, April–May and July–August, but is continuously-brooded in North America, being one of the first butterflies to emerge from the chrysalis in spring, flying until hard freeze in the fall.
Its
caterpillars can be a pest on cultivated
cabbages,
kale,
radish, and
horseradish but it'll readily lay eggs on wild members of the cabbage family such as
Charlock Sinapis arvensis and
Hedge mustard Sisybrium officinale. The eggs are laid singularly on foodplant leaves.
Traditionally known in the
United States as the "Imported Cabbage Worm", now more commonly the "Cabbage White", the caterpillars are green and well camouflaged. Caterpillars rest on the undersides of the leaves, thus making them less visible to predators. Unlike the Large White, they don't store the mustard oils from their foodplants and so are not distastful to predators like birds. Like many other "White" butterflies it
hibernates as a
pupa. It is also one of the most cold-hardy of the non-hibernating butterflies, occasionally seen emerging during mid-winter mild spells in cities as far north as Washington D.C.
Like its close relative the
Large White this is a strong flyer and the British population is increased by continental immigrants in most years. Adults are
diurnal and fly almost exclusively during mid-day, though it appears as if there's some activity in the later part of the night too, ceasing as dawn breaks (Fullard & Napoleone 2001).
Gallery
Image:Pieris.rapae.caterpillar.jpg|Caterpillar
Image:ChristianBauer Pieris rapae cocoon.jpg|Pupa, ready to eclose
Image:ChristianBauer Pieris rapae caterpiller2.jpg|Pupa, late stage
Image:Pieris rapae.jpg|Copulation refusal action
Image:Small white mating 05-29.jpg| Butterflies mating
Image:Cabbage_white.JPG|Female
Image:Kleiner Kohlweissling Pieris rapae 2.jpg|Male
Image:Small White November 2007.jpg|Small White in Autumn
Further Information
Get more info on 'Small White'.
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