Cabbage White - Pieris rapae

Cabbage White - Pieris rapae

Family: Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
Subfamily: Whites (Pierinae)
Identification: Upperside of wings white; forewing with black tip. Two submarginal black spots in female, one in male. Underside of hindwing and forewing apex evenly yellow-green or gray-green. Spring and fall short-day form is smaller, less yellow, with reduced black areas. It is usually the first butterfly to emerge in spring.
Wing span: 1 3/4 – 2 1/4 inches (4.5 – 5.8 cm).
Caterpillar hosts: Many plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family and occasionally some in the caper family (Capparidaceae).
Adult food: Flower nectar from a very wide array of plants including mustards, dandelion, red clover, asters, and mints.
Habitat: Almost any type of open space including weedy areas, gardens, roadsides, cities, and suburbs.
Range: From central Canada south through the United States (except Florida Keys, southern Louisiana, and South Texas) to northwest Mexico.
Conservation: Not required.
NatureServe Global Status: G5 – Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: Ensure control steps do not affect other invertebrate fauna.