Cabbage White
Pieris rapae (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: 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.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.8 cm).
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.
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.
NCGR: 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.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Artogeia rapae
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 19292 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 26, 2017
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Brown County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Louise Dawson
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Quyen Edwards
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Nov 06, 2023
Submitted by: mcvaugh
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 21, 2023
Observation date: Dec 29, 2022
Submitted by: Richard Newland
Region: Queretaro de Arteaga, Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Dec 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: mostlynative
Region: Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Dec 08, 2023
Observation date: Nov 01, 2023
Submitted by: vanila
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Oct 20, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Sep 29, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Nov 17, 2023
Submitted by: vanila
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Nov 30, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Oct 22, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Nov 30, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Sep 30, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Oct 11, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: ElizabethP
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Nov 03, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Nov 11, 2023
Submitted by: ElizabethP
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
Observation date: Nov 24, 2023
Submitted by: Tashi Liem
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Nov 27, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Oct 12, 2023
Submitted by: talinabug
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Nov 27, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Oct 16, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 30, 2023
Observation date: Nov 29, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 30, 2023
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