cabbage white | skymeadows

cabbage white (Pieris rapae)

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

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.

LIFE HISTORY: Males patrol for females. Females lay single eggs on
undersides of host leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.

FLIGHT: Two to three in northern part of range; 7-8 in the south. 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.

SKY MEADOWS OCCURRENCE:

Note: Due to seasonal conditions in this region, occurrence may vary from

year to year. The designation of occurrence may range over two or more

categories and may vary even during a single season.

Key to Checklist

A   Abundant: Easy to see very large numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
C   Common: Usually each to see good numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
U   Uncommon: Sometimes found in appropriate habitat and proper time of year,
      usually in low numbers.
O   Occasional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times a year, usually
      in low numbers.
R   Rare: Small chance of being found, even in appropriate habitat at proper time of
      year. There are few individuals and may not be present every year.
X   Extirpated: Formerly present, no longer occurs in Sky Meadows Park.