Cabbage White: Pieris rapae

The cabbage white is a small species of butterfly often seen flying through tall grasses or even in your own backyard; they are very common in our area and do very well in urban areas. Originally believed to have been native to the Mediterranean region, this species has spread worldwide. It is believed this species reached North America and spread outward from Quebec. The larval or caterpillar stage of their life cycle is considered a pest species for many crops such as cabbage and broccoli (hence: cabbage white or cabbage butterfly). In a matter of days these yellow/green caterpillars can eat through an entire cabbage. The coloration of the caterpillars also helps reduce predation; they are almost the same color as the leaves they feed on! As adults however, they mostly feed on flower nectar from clovers and dandelions; this might explain why you see them fluttering around your yard so often. This species is sexually dimorphic as well. Males have one black spot on their forewings, where females have two spots. Females tend to have a more yellowish tint to their wings while males are very bright white color. As previously mentioned, this species is rather small in comparison to some other well-known butterflies. The cabbage white has a total wingspan of less than two inches. These butterflies also have some interesting flight patterns in the sense that it is very erratic and all over the place. Given these flight patterns and rather dull coloration, many people mistake this species for a moth instead of a butterfly.

Source: https://www.butterflyidentification.com/cabbage-white.htm

Publicado el julio 30, 2020 11:51 TARDE por shannonng