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 1 - 24 of 19625 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 06, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 06, 2026
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 06, 2026
Observation date: May 31, 2026
Submitted by: RoxannaTessman
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Jun 04, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2026
Observation date: Jul 24, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2026
Observation date: May 31, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2026
Observation date: May 31, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 01, 2026
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: Pterouras
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 31, 2026
Observation date: May 29, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 30, 2026
Observation date: May 29, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 30, 2026
Observation date: Jul 14, 1985
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 26, 2026
Observation date: May 26, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 26, 2026
Observation date: May 23, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 23, 2026
Observation date: Jun 29, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 22, 2026
Observation date: May 10, 2026
Submitted by: erinlale
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 13, 2026
Observation date: Jul 15, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 13, 2026
Observation date: Jul 16, 2025
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 13, 2026
Observation date: Apr 29, 2026
Submitted by: Moth_Observer01
Region: Marion County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: May 01, 2026
Submitted by: Bgraves26
Region: Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 12, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 21, 2026
Submitted by: systanfield
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 04, 2026
Observation date: Aug 01, 2025
Submitted by: Bombyx-Aurelia
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 02, 2026
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