Cabbage White Butterfly

Cabbage White Butterfly Facts

• Just look at the rather delicate, lacy wings of the Cabbage White Butterfly. These little beauties also often bear the name of flying balls of cotton.
• This butterfly is a small species of Lepidoptera in the family Pieridae. 
• Due to its voracious appetite, the caterpillar form of this insect is considered an extreme pest by commercial agriculture.

Cabbage White Butterfly Physical Description

The rather astonishing Cabbage White Butterfly bears an almost identical appearance to its close relative, the Pieris brassicae, known simply as the Large White. The only visual difference between the two is the size.

The wingspan of this tiny yet lovely invertebrate averages roughly 2 in (5 cm). The underside of the wings is yellow with small black spots.

The upper portion displays a creamy white, with black tips. The female butterfly will also display two black spots in the middle of her forewings.

Its appearance also often leads to its being mistaken for a moth. 

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Euarthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Pieridae

Genus: Pieris

Species: P. rapae

Cabbage White Butterfly Distribution, Habitat, and Life Cycle

The natural range of the butterfly includes Asia, North Africa, and parts of Europe. Accidental introduction into North America, New Zealand, and Australia lead to its rapid spreading.

They show a preference for open areas but it is highly adaptable to a variety of environments, providing there is abundant plant life. This butterfly is particularly fond of species in the mustard family.

The Cabbage White Butterfly breeds throughout the season and breeds prolifically. Within a few generations, a single female may serve as the progenitor of more than one million descendants. Now that is a family tree to admire.

Check out our articles on Ulysses Butterfly, Mitchells Satyr Butterfly, Karner Blue Butterfly, Question Mark Butterfly, Ornithoptera Chimaera