Cabbage Butterfly Habitat

The cabbage white is the first butterfly to emerge in the spring.

The cabbage butterfly, or cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae) is one of the most frequently seen in the United States. According to the Butterflies and Moths of North America website, the cabbage white is usually the first butterfly species to emerge in the spring.

Identification

Cabbage white butterflies are mostly white with black markings and spots on the upper sides of their wings. The undersides of the wings are a pale yellow-green or gray-green. Males and females can be distinguished by the number of spots on their wings--males have one on each wing; females have two. Their wingspan ranges from 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 inches wide.

Habitat

Cabbage white butterflies are commonly encountered in open spaces everywhere, including fields, roadsides, parks, gardens and even cities.

Range

Cabbage white butterflies can be found in central Canada south through the United States to northwest Mexico. They are found everywhere in the United States with the exception of the Florida Keys, southern Louisiana and southern Texas.

Diet

Cabbage white butterflies sip nectar from a variety of plants including dandelion, red clover, asters, and plants of the mint and mustard families. They seek out plants of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) to serve as host plants for their caterpillars.

Life Cycle

The cabbage white butterfly produces two or three broods each season in the northern part of its range and as many as seven or eight in the south. The caterpillars, sometimes called cabbage worms, can be regarded as pests for the damage they inflict on crops such as cabbage and broccoli.

References

• Butterflies and Moths of North America: Cabbage White